Content

Welcome to the CJU website » LOG IN

Details

PSA doubling time post radiation: the effect of neoadjuvant androgen ablation
Department of Radiation Oncology, British Columbia Cancer Agency (BCCA), Vancouv
Aug  2004 (Vol.  11, Issue  4, Pages( 2316 - 2321)

Abstract

Text-Size + 

  • OBJECTIVE:

    To determine whether men who relapse after neoadjuvant androgen ablation (NAA) and high-dose radiation therapy (RT) have faster PSA doubling times (PSAdt) than those who are treated with RT alone.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS:

    From a prospective database of 1880 patients treated with RT for localized prostate cancer, patients were selected for further study if they had a rising PSA profile >1 ng/ml, and were treated with either no NAA, or prolonged NAA (defined as 3-12 months NAA) with a minimum 5 years follow-up. The PSAdt was calculated from the exponential line of best fit from the first post-nadir value >1 ng/ml to the last PSA prior to secondary intervention. Those patients with a rising PSA profile at 5 years of follow-up were further examined with linear regression to determine factors of possible independent adverse effect.

    RESULTS:

    There were 251 patients eligible with rising PSA profiles. Patients treated with NAA had higher pre-treatment Gleason scores (p<0.001), PSA (p<0.001), and T stage (p<0.001). Median duration of NAA was 5.1 months. Rising PSA profiles occurred in 78% of the RT-only group and 70% of the NAA group. In regression analysis, factors predictive of more rapid PSAdt were pre-treatment Gleason score (p<0.001), pre-treatment PSA (p=0.025), and T stage (p=0.017). The use of NAA (p=0.4) was not significant.

    CONCLUSION:

    The use of prolonged NAA in men treated with RT does not itself cause a more rapid PSAdt when relapse occurs. Faster relapse observed in these men is due to intrinsically more aggressive tumors prior to treatment.