High postprostatectomy prostate-specific antigen level prior to salvage radiation therapy is not always a bad sign

Although radical prostatectomy is a popular treatment modality for clinically localized prostate cancer, 10-year biochemical recurrence can reach 28%. Before salvage radiation therapy (SRT), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values alone should be used cautiously in predicting SRT eligibility. A long, slow PSA rise may suggest locally confined disease still amenable to SRT; corresponding imaging to identify potential gross recurrence is useful. Patients with local disease may safely benefit from higher doses of radiation.