Survival after radical prostatectomy for clinically localised prostate cancer: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVES: To describe survival and cause of death in a nationwide cohort of Danish patients with prostate cancer undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP). To describe risk factors associated with prostate cancer mortality. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Observational study of 6489 men with localised prostate cancer treated with RP at six different hospitals in Denmark between 1995 and 2011. Survival was described using Kaplan-Meier estimates. Causes of death were obtained from the national registry and cross-checked with patient files. Cumulative incidence of death, any cause and prostate cancer-specific, was described using Nelson-Aalen estimates. Risk for prostate cancer death was analysed in a Cox multivariate regression model using the covariates: age, cT-category, PSA level and biopsy Gleason score. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 4 years. During follow-up, 328 patients died, 109 (33.2%) from prostate cancer and 219 (66.8%) from other causes. Six patients (0.09%) died ≤30 days of RP. In multivariate analysis, cT-category was a predictor of prostate cancer death (P < 0.001). Compared with T1 disease, both cT2c (hazard ratio [HR] 2.2) and cT3 (HR 7.2) significantly increased the risk of prostate cancer death. For every doubling of PSA level the risk of prostate cancer death was increased by 34.8% (P < 0.001). Biopsy Gleason score 4 + 3 and ≥8 were associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer death compared with biopsy Gleason score ≤ 6 of 2.3 and 2.7 (P = 0.003), respectively. The cumulative hazard of all-cause and prostate cancer-specific mortality after 10 years was 15.4% (95% confide3nce interval [CI] 13.2-17.7) and 6.6% (95% CI 4.9-8.2) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We present the first survival analysis of a complete, nationwide cohort of men undergoing RP for localised prostate cancer. The main limitation of the study was the relatively short follow-up. Interestingly, our national results are comparable to high-volume, single institution, single surgeon series.

Changes in preoperative characteristics in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy--a 16-year nationwide analysis.

BACKGROUND: The Danish attitude for diagnosis and treatment of early localized prostate cancer (PCa) has historically been conservative. Denmark introduced radical prostatectomy (RP) as the last of the Nordic countries in 1995. However, a rapid increment in the Danish incidence of PCa is indicative of a shift in attitude with increasing opportunistic PSA testing. This had led to an increasing number of RPs being performed in Denmark. The objective of this study was to analyze changes in preoperative characteristics over time for the complete cohort of 6489 men who underwent RP between 1995 and 2011. Our hypothesis was that an increasing amount of men undergo RP for lower risk PCa. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All patients operated from 1995 to 2011 were identified via patient files and registries. Changes over time in age at surgery, preoperative PSA, clinical T-category, biopsy Gleason score (GS), and D'Amico classification are described. Tests for statistically significant changes were performed. RESULTS: Median age increased from 61.4 to 64.8 years (p < 0.0001) during the 16-year period. Median PSA declined from 11.5 to 7.9 ng/ml (p < 0.0001). Distribution of biopsy GS changed significantly, especially after 2005. Biopsy GS = 7 was found in 20.2% of the patients in 2005 compared to 57.1% in 2011. The proportion of T1 disease increased from 32% to 56%. Significant changes in percentage of patients according to the D'Amico classification were found. After 2005 the proportion of intermediate-risk patients increased significantly. The proportion of patients age 70 or above increased from 2% to 13% in the period studies. CONCLUSION: Significant preoperative stage- and Gleason grade migration was found in this complete Danish nationwide cohort of patients undergoing RP during the past 16 years. This effect is most likely attributed to an increasing use of PSA as marker for early prostate cancer diagnosis in Denmark and new international guidelines for Gleason grading and scoring.

Fluorescence-guided transurethral resection of bladder tumours reduces bladder tumour recurrence due to less residual tumour tissue in Ta/T1 patients: a randomized two-centre study.

OBJECTIVES: •To compare the bladder tumour recurrence rate in stage Ta and T1 tumours after conventional transurethral resection of the bladder in white light (WL TURB) and after fluorescence-guided TURB (HAL TURB) using hexaminolaevulinate (HAL: Hexvix®, Photocure, Norway) for photodynamic diagnosis during 12 months of follow-up. •As secondary objectives, to relate the tumour recurrence rate to fluorescence-detected residual tumour after WL TURB and to assess the false positive rate. PATIENTS AND METHODS: •This was a prospective, comparative, randomized, open-label study carried out in hospital outpatient urology clinics and the operating theatre. A total of 233 patients presenting with suspected superficial bladder tumour were recruited. Both patients with new tumours and patients with recurrent tumours were included. •The study duration was 2.5 years with follow-up cystoscopic investigations at 4, 8 and 12 months. •Patients were randomized to cystoscopy and WL TURB (118 patients) or WL TURB followed immediately by HAL TURB (115 patients). Cystoscopy/TURB and bladder biopsies were performed under general anaesthesia. No patients had intravesical chemotherapy immediately after TURB. •Recurrences were verified histologically. RESULTS: •The two groups were similar regarding age and previous bladder cancer history. •In all, 90 patients from the HAL TURB group had bladder tumour. Fluorescence-guided cystoscopy after complete WL TURB identified residual tumour tissue in 44 of 90 patients (49%). In 37 of 83 (45%) residual Ta tumour was found; in three of seven residual T1 was found and in four cases carcinoma in situ. •True (and false) positive detection rate of photodynamic diagnosis was 64% (25%) and of white light 83% (16%). •In all, 145 patients were eligible for analysis of tumour recurrence. Twelve patients had their last follow-up after 4 months. The recurrence rate in patients followed for 12 months was 47.3% (35/74) after WL TURB and 30.5% (18/59) after HAL TURB (P= 0.05). •Kaplan-Meier analyses comprising data from all 145 patients showed that the recurrence-free period was significantly longer in the HAL TURB group than in the WL TURB group (P= 0.02). CONCLUSION: •WL TURB often leaves residual tumour in the bladder. HAL TURB improves the detection of Ta/T1 tumours of the bladder resulting in more complete TURB procedures and thus a reduced recurrence rate.

Length of life gained with surgical treatment of prostate cancer: A population-based analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyse relative survival, excess mortality and gain in life expectancy in men who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) for localized prostate cancer (PCa) between 1995 and 2011 in Denmark. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study population comprised the complete cohort of 6489 men who underwent RP between 1995 and 2011. Risk of mortality was calculated using a competing risk model. Relative survival, excess mortality rate (EMR) and gain in life expectancy in men undergoing RP were calculated using a matched cohort Danish population based on date of birth and date of surgery. RESULTS: During follow-up 328 patients died, 109 (33.2%) of PCa and 219 (66.8%) of other causes. The cumulative incidence of PCa mortality was 5.8% [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.4, 7.2] after 10 years. Relative survival was significantly above 1.0 for RP patients, except for high-risk patients. EMR was -9.34 (95% CI -10.56, -8.13) after 10 years, i.e. nine men would die in excess of the general population. Overall, the gain in life expectancy in men undergoing RP compared with the general population was 0.41 years. CONCLUSION: This population-based study demonstrated that the gain in life expectancy with RP compared with the general population in Denmark is minimal.