Comparison of tumor- and comorbidity-related predictors of mortality after radical prostatectomy

To identify and compare tumor- and non-tumor-related predictors of survival after radical prostatectomy and to incorporate the latter into the tumor node metastasis classification of prostate cancer.

A total of 402 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (mean follow-up period 6.9 years) were stratified according to postoperative tumor stage, Gleason score, prostate-specific antigen level, age and five comorbidity classifications. Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify independent prognostic factors predicting overall survival.

Comorbidity (American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification), Gleason score and age, but not tumor stage, were independent predictors of overall survival. Based on tumor stage and the identified independent prognostic factors, an easily applicable prognostic score was developed to predict overall mortality.

A prognostic classification of radical prostatectomy patients based on Gleason score, comorbidity and age and supplementary to a coarsened variant of the tumor node metastasis classification may be of clinical value.