In a multicentre retrospective study, a research group from Milan examined patients with locally advanced prostate carcinoma.
For years it has been discussed whether locally advanced prostate carcinoma (>pT3a, and/or positive resection margin) whose PSA level is no longer detectable after radical prostatectomy should undergo precautionary (adjuvant) radiotherapy, or should only undergo radiotherapy when the PSA level rises (salvage radiotherapy).
In this study, it could be shown statistically significantly that both the development of distant metastases and the overall survival were not negatively influenced by delayed therapy.
However, of those in the salvage therapy group, only 58% of patients required radiotherapy, meaning that 42% of patients could be spared radiotherapy without a deterioration in survival but with a significantly better quality of life.
Source: European Urology 2017;71(6):886-893