Orchiectomy and delayed radiotherapy as treatment for prostatic carcinoma. A 10-year survey

One hundred and fifty patients with carcinoma of the prostate treated between 1967 and 1982 have been reviewed. Thirty-three patients were treated with stilboestrol alone, 36 by orchiectomy alone and in 81 cases radical radiotherapy was given to the prostate (and in 10 of the 81 cases to the regional and para-aortic lymph nodes) 5 or 6 months after orchiectomy. Although there was no significant difference between the results of those treated by stilboestrol alone and those treated by orchiectomy alone, in those patients receiving orchiectomy and delayed radiotherapy there was a significant improvement in survival. If patients with Stage D disease are excluded, this is a highly significant difference and indeed the survival in these patients does not differ significantly from the expected survival at this age. The 5-year survival rate of Stage D patients treated by this method was 35%.