External Beam Radiotherapy for Adenocarcinoma of the Prostate: A Clinical Followup

Abstract

Postirradiation biopsies were done on 68 patients who had received curative external beam radiation therapy for adenocarcinoma of the prostate. The patients were evaluated to determine subsequent rates of disease progression and patient survival. Mean follow-up was 5 yr. The residual tumor present 12 mo. after therapy does not disappear: advance in tumor grade occurred in 19 of 39 patients (49%) with positive biopsies after therapy; patients who had positive biopsies after therapy had a greater chance for disease progression (11 of 39 cases or 28%) than patients with negative biopsies (4 of 29 cases or 14%); hormonal therapy started when a positive biopsy was obtained appears to delay onset of disease progression.