External beam irradiation of prostate cancer. Experience in 163 patients

From 1973 to 1979, 163 patients with biopsy proven adenocarcinoma of the prostate were treated with a curative intent utilizing megavoltage external beam irradiation at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center or Lutheran General Hospital. The actuarial survival at 5 years for the whole group is 78%. Survival was found to depend on initial stage and grade of disease. Local failure alone occurred in 3% of the patients, yet represented a component of failure in 7%. The effects of stage, grade, dose and field size on survival, patterns of failure and complications are discussed.