25-Year disease-free survival rate after irradiation for prostate cancer calculated with the prostate specific antigen definition of recurrence used for radical prostatectomy.

PURPOSE: We addressed whether there is durable control of prostate cancer, defined as a prostate specific antigen cutoff of less than 0.2 ng/ml, greater than 20 years after irradiation for this disease. We also evaluated late recurrence, defined as recurrence after 10-year followup. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 3,546 consecutive hormone naïve men were treated with a (125)I prostate implant (retropubic and later transperineal), followed by external beam irradiation, from 1984 to 2000. Recurrence was defined as a prostate specific antigen increase of greater than 0.20 ng/ml or a prostate specific antigen nadir of greater than 0.20 ng/ml. Median followup was 11 years (range 3 months to 26 years). RESULTS: In all men 10, 15, 20 and 25-year disease-free survival rates were 75%, 73%, 73% and 73%, respectively. Longest time to recurrence was at the 15.5-year followup. In 313 men with recurrence who were treated 16 to 25 years ago 5% of recurrences were late. In men implanted by the transperineal method since 1995 the 15-year disease-free survival rate was 79%. CONCLUSIONS: With this irradiation program cancer control, defined using the recurrence definition for radical prostatectomy, was durable with no further recurrence between 15.5 and 25 years of followup. This study also suggests that at least 15 years of followup are necessary to fully evaluate any prostate cancer treatment. Furthermore, if prostate specific antigen is less than 0.20 ng/ml 15 years after treatment, later recurrence should be unlikely.

A standard definition of disease freedom is needed for prostate cancer: undetectable prostate specific antigen compared with the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology consensus definition.

PURPOSE: Freedom from prostate cancer is defined by undetectable prostate specific antigen (PSA) after surgery and the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) criteria are recommended for irradiation. Whether these definitions of disease freedom are comparable was evaluated in this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From August 1992 to August 1996 simultaneous irradiation with prostate 125iodine implantation followed by external beam irradiation was performed in 591 consecutive men with stage T1T2NX prostate cancer. All patients had a transperineal implant and none received neoadjuvant hormones. Disease freedom was defined by a PSA cutoff of 0.2 ng./ml. and the ASTRO consensus definition. Median followup was 6 years (range 5 to 8). RESULTS: Of the 591 men in this study 65 had recurrence by ASTRO criteria and 93 had recurrence by a PSA cutoff of 0.2 ng./ml., which was a significant difference (p = 0.001). On multivariate analysis of the factors related to disease-free status the definition of disease freedom, pretreatment PSA and Gleason score were highly significant. Of the 528 men with a minimum 5-year PSA followup the 8-year disease-free survival rate by ASTRO criteria was 99% in those who achieved a PSA nadir of 0.2 ng./ml. and 16% in those with a nadir of 0.3 to 1 ng./ml. Of the 469 disease-free patients by ASTRO criteria with a minimum 5-year followup 455 (97%) achieved a PSA nadir of 0.2 ng./ml. or less. CONCLUSIONS: The definition of freedom from prostate cancer significantly affects treatment results. A standard definition is needed and a PSA cutoff of 0.2 ng./ml. is suggested as the standard for all curative treatments for localized prostate cancer.

Time to achieve a prostate specific antigen nadir of 0.2 ng./ml. after simultaneous irradiation for prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: A prostate specific antigen (PSA) cutoff point of 0.2 ng./ml. has been suggested as the standard definition of disease freedom for curative treatment of localized prostate cancer. The time to achieve this goal after irradiation was determined in this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From August 1992 to December 1996, 539 consecutive men with clinical stage T1T2NX prostate cancer who had a minimum 5-year PSA followup and achieved a PSA nadir of 0.2 ng./ml. without hormones were evaluated. All patients were treated with simultaneous irradiation with a transperineal prostate iodine implant, followed by external beam irradiation. Time to achieve a PSA of 0.2 ng./ml. was retrospectively calculated from the date of implantation in all men and according to various factors. Recurrence was defined as a subsequent increase above a PSA of 0.2 ng./ml. Minimum followup was 5 years (median 6.5, range 5 to 9). RESULTS: In all 539 men the median time to a PSA nadir of 0.2 ng./ml. was 27 months, while 534 (99%) achieved this level by 60 months of followup. Median time to achieve this PSA goal was 20 and 39 months in patients without and with a PSA bounce, respectively. Pretreatment PSA, disease status and ultimately PSA bounce, Gleason score and stage had little or no effect on time to a PSA of 0.2 ng./ml. CONCLUSIONS: With rare exceptions to be potentially cured of prostate cancer by simultaneous irradiation men must achieve a PSA nadir of 0.2 ng./ml. within 5 years of implantation. Failure to reach this goal by 60 months of followup almost always indicates persistent disease.

10-year disease-free survival rates after simultaneous irradiation for prostate cancer with a focus on calculation methodology.

PURPOSE: We documented the 10-year disease-free survival rate after simultaneous irradiation for prostate cancer and suggested standards for outcome calculation methodology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1992 to 1998, 1,469 consecutive men with clinical stage T1T2NxM0 prostate cancer who did not receive neoadjuvant hormones were treated with simultaneous irradiation, an ultrasound guided transperineal prostate I seed implant followed by external irradiation. Median pretreatment prostate specific antigen (PSA) was 7.1 ng/ml (range 0.3 to 88). All men were treated 5 or more years ago. Median followup was 6 years (range 3 months to 11 years). Disease freedom was defined as the achievement and maintenance of PSA 0.2 ng/ml or less, and treatment failure was defined as a PSA nadir greater than 0.2 ng/ml or a subsequent PSA increase above this level. RESULTS: The overall 10-year disease-free survival rate was 83%. Median time to recurrence was 30 months (range 3 months to 8 years) and 24% of recurrences were after 5-year followup. The 10-year outcome according to low, intermediate and high risk group was 93%, 80% and 61%, respectively (p <0.0001). Multivariate analysis of factors related to disease freedom documents that pretreatment PSA, Gleason score and percent positive biopsies were significant but stage and age were not. CONCLUSIONS: By calculating outcome with PSA cut point 0.2 ng/ml and evaluation only of men treated 5 or more years ago, the 10-year disease-free survival rates from this study can be reasonably compared with the outcome of radical prostatectomy performed in the PSA era.

Prostate specific antigen bounce after simultaneous irradiation for prostate cancer: the relationship to patient age.

PURPOSE: We report on the relationship of patient age to prostate specific antigen (PSA) bounce after brachytherapy for prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1992 to 1997, 1,011 consecutive men with stage T1-T2NxM0 prostate cancer were treated with simultaneous irradiation, transperineal prostate I-125 implant followed by external beam irradiation. No patients received neoadjuvant hormones. There were 251, 491 and 269 men 60 years old or younger, 61 to 70 and 71 or older, respectively, at implant. PSA bounce is defined by a postirradiation PSA increase of 0.1 ng/ml or more above the level before bounce followed by a decrease to or below that level. Disease freedom is defined by a PSA cut point of 0.2 ng/ml. Median followup is 6 years (range 3 months to 10 years). RESULTS: The frequency of PSA bounce according to age 60 or younger, 61 to 70 and 71 or older is 57%, 41% and 26%, respectively, a significant difference (p <0.000), average time to bounce onset is 19, 20 and 25 months for these 3 age groups, respectively, a significant difference (p = 0.002), and average bounce duration is 11, 8 and 8 months, respectively, a significant difference (p <0.000). On multivariate analysis of age, pretreatment PSA, Gleason score, stage, implant dose, prostate volume, diabetes and race, only age is significantly associated with PSA bounce (p <0.0001). After adjusting for the inherent bias caused by PSA bounce, there is no significant difference in disease-free survival between men with and without bounce. CONCLUSIONS: Young men with prostate cancer treated with brachytherapy have a significantly higher frequency, earlier onset and longer duration of PSA bounce than older men.