ASCO PROSTATE: Survival After Radiation Plus Androgen Mirrors Healthy Men

KISSIMMEE, Fla., Feb. 27 -- Radiation and androgen deprivation appears to bestow survival times for prostate cancer patients that are similar to the life expectancies of men of the same age who did not have cancer, German researchers said here.

In reviewing long-term studies comparing survival of men with prostate cancer on the basis of different accepted treatments, urologist Thomas Ebert, M.D., of the Euro-Med-Clinic in Furth, Germany, determined "no significant survival difference was found between 'normal men' and prostate cancer patients with adjuvant androgen deprivation in two out of three studies."

For example, in the EORTC (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer) 22863, there was a similar survival benefit between normal men and prostate cancer patients who were treated only with radiotherapy, Dr. Ebert said at a prostate cancer symposium.

In that study, conducted in France, 208 men underwent external- beam radiation therapy alone and 207 men were treated additional with androgen deprivation therapy. After eight years, 40% of the men who received radiotherapy only were alive compared with 70% of the men who received combined treatment. That difference was statistically significant (P

Dr. Ebert said his findings warrant that "the role of hormonal intervention as the first treatment of early prostate cancer should be readdressed in controlled studies."