Management of recurrent disease after radical prostatectomy

Prostate cancer has undergone a stage migration since the advent of widespread PSA testing, yet still a significant number of men develop PSA recurrence following radical prostatectomy. This causes anxiety to the patient and the urologist. This review examines the clinical significance of biochemical relapse and the role of imaging modalities and anastomotic biopsies. The importance of the radical prostatectomy pathological features and the PSA kinetics in determining the site of recurrence and the best treatment modality is emphasised. The optimal timing and dose of salvage radiotherapy and the role of hormonal therapy is discussed.