PROGNOSIS OF PATIENTS WITH STAGE-D1 PROSTATE CARCINOMA FOLLOWING RADICAL PROSTATECTOMY WITH AND WITHOUT EARLY ENDOCRINE THERAPY

Early endocrine therapy after radical retropubic prostatectomy was compared to radical prostatectomy alone (nonearly endocrine therapy) for the treatment of carcinoma of the prostate with lymph node metastases. Our retrospective analysis demonstrated that the 2 cohorts were similar with respect to patient age, Gleason sum score, seminal vesicle invasion, lymph node involvement, tumor volume and pathological stage of the primary tumor. The cause-specific survival of the entire group was 84% at 60 months and 78% at 98 months. The cause-specific curves for the early and nonearly endocrine therapy group were not significantly different (p < 0.194), although the estimated 9-year survival rates were 91 and 71%, respectively. Survival free of disease was significantly prolonged in the early endocrine therapy group (p < 0.030), with a 9-year estimated rate free of disease of 67% versus 32% in the nonearly endocrine therapy group. Followup prostate specific antigen serum levels were analyzed and the value as a progression marker is discussed. These data suggest that a radical operation plus early endocrine therapy is effective palliation in selected patients with low volume lymph node metastases, producing clinical survival free of disease in most patients.