The efficacy and sequencing of a short course of androgen suppression on freedom from biochemical failure when administered with radiation therapy in Tz2-T3 prostate cancer

The analysis of these two randomized studies shows a benefit to using hormonal treatment prior to radiation therapy in localized T2-T3 prostate cancer, but adding a short course of adjuvant hormonal therapy to EBRT (external beam radiation therapy) gives no advantage. We think that adjuvant hormonal treatment after local irradiation is less effective on local control than neo-adjuvant and its usefulness is to treat potential micrometases. Irradiation probably induces a perturbation in the androgen receptors. The optimal duration of neo-adjuvant treatment is under investigation. (author)