[Radical therapy for prostate cancer in Norway]

There is an increasing incidence of localised prostate cancer in Norway. Treatment decisions should be based on published results for treatment modalities. This paper presents an overview of Norwegian results published between 1982 and 2003. The treatment modalities used were: transurethral resection of the prostate followed by laser coagulation, radical prostatectomy, external beam radiation, cryotherapy, and brachytherapy. There were no controlled studies and no evidence that the treatment offers health benefit to the patients. The observation periods were generally very short. Frequency of complications is significant. Radical surgery is followed by 8-77% urinary incontinence, 38-96% loss of erection, and 25% other complications. External beam radiation gives 20% lower urinary tract symptoms, 51% loss of erection and 13-86% intestinal complications. For cryotherapy there is no incontinence, 74% erectile failures and 10-43% other complications.