Prostate specific antigen following radiotherapy for local prostate cancer

The clinical recurrence-free survival rates were compared to the combined clinical and biochemical recurrence-free survival rates in 285 patients with stages A2 (T1b), B (T2) and C (T3) prostate cancer treated with radiation therapy. For stages A2 (T1b) and B (T2) disease the 10-year clinical recurrence-free survival rate was 48% and the corresponding 10-year clinical and biochemical recurrence-free survival rate was 33%. For stage C (T3) disease these rates were 33% and 22%, respectively. These results demonstrate that approximately a third of the patients who are considered recurrence-free by standard clinical criteria at 10 years after radiation therapy have elevated prostate specific antigen values and are at significant risk for later clinical failure.