Influence of age on the pattern and outcome of external beam radiotherapy for clinically localized prostate cancer

Background: The influence of age on the patterns and outcomes of external beam radiotherapy for clinically localized prostate cancer patients was examined. Materials and Methods: The Japanese Patterns of Care Study surveys were used to compare the processes and outcomes of radical external beam radiotherapy in 140 elderly patients (> 75 years old) and 304 younger patients (< 75 years old). Results: Although the Karnofsky performance status was significantly different between elderly and younger patients, there were no significant differences in disease characteristics such as pretreatment PSA level, differentiation, Gleason combined score and clinical T stage. There were also no significant differences in the treatment characteristics such as CT-based treatment planning, conformal therapy, total radiation doses (both a median of 66.0 Gy) and hormonal therapy usage. Moreover, no significant differences in overall survival, biochemical relapse-free survival and late toxicity rates were observed between elderly and younger patients. Conclusion: Age did not influence the disease characteristics, patterns of external beam radiotherapy, survival and late toxicities for clinically localized prostate cancer patients. Therefore, radiotherapy could represent an important treatment modality for elderly patients as well as for younger ones.