Localized prostate cancer: result of radical treatment with radiotherapy

Purpose: This study was undertaken to evaluate the long-term survival and the patterns of failure of clinically localized prostate cancer patients treated with radical radiotherapy. Methods and materials: We reviewed 118 patients with localized biopsy proven prostate cancer without previous irradiation or radical prostatectomy who were treated radical radiotherapy at the Department of Radiation Oncology between July 1964 and December 1991. Results: The adjusted survival probability was 69% at 5 years and 62% at 10 years. The disease free survival probability was 56% at years and 48% at 10 years. The local relapse free survival probability (prostatic and peri prostatic tissue failure) was 91% at 5 and 10 years. The locoregional relapse free survival probability (local and lymph pelvic pelvic nodes recurrence) was 85% at 5 years 75% at 10 years. The distant relapse free survival probability was 68% at 5 years and 65% at 10 years. Conclusion: External-beam radiotherapy is a highly effective modality of therapy for patients with localized prostate cancer. This curative therapy can now be offered with little morbidity and good results, equal to the survival rates reported in surgical series. External-beam radiation therapy achieves high rates of locoregional control and the outcome of patients with advanced disease is determined by the risk of developing distant metastases. (65 refs.)