Prostate-specific antigen is a predictor of the efficacy of salvage radiation therapy in patients with recurrent prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy

The study objective is to determine advisability of radiation therapy in patients with recurrent prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy. Materials and methods. In our research 92 patients were treated by salvage radiation therapy after radical prostatectomy. The median of follow up is 48 months. Results. The rates of 1, 2 and 3 years disease-free survival were 96, 91 and 86 %. We received that prostate specific antigen doubling time <6 months and prostate specific antigen >0.5 ng/ml before salvage radiation therapy statistical significance associated with biochemical failure. The results of our study indicate two main negative factors in the prognosis of the efficacy of radiotherapy and combined hormone therapy in patients with biochemical or clinical locoregional recurrence - the period of prostate specific antigen doubling time less than 6 months (p = 0.035) after radical prostatectomy and a higher prostate specific antigen level, especially more than 0.5 ng/ml before salvage radiotherapy (p = 0.037). Conclusion. Taking into account the absence of differences in the results of treatment between groups of patients with clinical and biochemical recurrences, it is not advisable to postpone the implementation of salvage radiotherapy and recommend patients to repeat the study. Repeated studies of these patients, as a rule, are conducted after many months at a higher level of the prostate specific antigen, which is associated with a higher tumor activity and a worse prognosis of the disease.