Metastasis, Mortality, and Quality of Life for Men With NCCN High and Very High Risk Localized Prostate Cancer After Surgical and/or Combined Modality Radiotherapy

Clin Genitourin Cancer. 2020 Aug;18(4):274-283.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.clgc.2019.11.023. Epub 2020 Mar 19.

Abstract

Purpose: To compare metastasis-free survival, overall survival, and patient-reported quality of life (QOL) of men with National Comprehensive Cancer Network high or very high risk prostate cancer after definitive surgery and/or multimodal radiotherapy (RT).

Patients and methods: We studied a retrospective cohort study of 586 patients treated between the years 2000 and 2017 receiving radical prostatectomy with or without postoperative RT, external-beam RT (EBRT) with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), or EBRT plus brachytherapy (Brachy) boost + ADT. Patient-reported QOL for urinary, bowel, sexual, and overall physical and mental functioning was assessed using the American Urological Association symptom scale, the Sexual Health Inventory in Men, the Rectal-Function Assessment Scale, the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite, and the Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey.

Results: Median follow-up for survival was 5 years. No significant differences between the treatments were observed for overall survival or metastasis-free survival at the P < .05 threshold. The propensity-adjusted 5-year metastasis-free survival estimates for EBRT + ADT, EBRT + Brachy + ADT, and surgery were 74.6%, 94.8%, and 83.1%, respectively. The EBRT + Brachy + ADT and surgery cohorts had significantly worse mean American Urological Association symptom scores at 6 months than the EBRT + ADT cohort, which resolved by 1 year. Surgical patients had better rectal function scores than EBRT + ADT patients at years 1 to 3, but similar function thereafter. Adjuvant or salvage RT resulted in significant declines in various Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite urinary, sexual, and bowel domains, and Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey physical but not mental domains.

Conclusion: Men with very and/or high-risk localized prostate cancer are likely to require multimodal therapy. The overall differences in survival and long-term QOL are similar for men choosing surgical versus RT pathways.

Keywords: AUA; Brachytherapy; Comparative effectiveness; EPIC; NCCN high risk; Prostatectomy; SHIM.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Androgen Antagonists / therapeutic use*
  • Brachytherapy / mortality*
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Reported Outcome Measures
  • Prognosis
  • Prospective Studies
  • Prostatectomy / mortality*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / mortality*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / therapy
  • Quality of Life*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Survival Rate
  • Watchful Waiting

Substances

  • Androgen Antagonists