The definition of biochemical failure in patients treated with definitive radiotherapy Journal Article


Authors: Kattan, M. W.; Fearn, P. A.; Leibel, S.; Potters, L.
Article Title: The definition of biochemical failure in patients treated with definitive radiotherapy
Abstract: Purpose: The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) published a definition for biochemical failure following treatment of prostate cancer. Others have noted difficulties with interpreting this definition and recommended modifications to accommodate special recurrence patterns. We have compared various modifications to the original ASTRO definition on our series of 1213 patients treated with transperineal permanent prostate brachytherapy. Methods and Materials: The ASTRO modifications we considered adjusted for (I) early censoring of nonrecurrent patients with rising prostate-specific antigen levels (PSA), (2) cumulative rather than consecutive rises (without a decrease) as evidence of recurrence, (3) both of the above, and (4) waiting 2 years before data analysis, The Kaplan-Meier method was used to compute the effects on recurrence rate for patients treated with and without neoadjuvant hormones. Results: With the original ASTRO definition, freedom from recurrence in our series of men who did not receive neoadjuvant hormones was 83% at 4 years. All of the modifications considered had statistically insignificant effects on freedom from recurrence rates, varying from 80% to 83% at 4 years. Patients treated with neoadjuvant hormones also showed very little sensitivity to the recurrence definition employed. Conclusion: Early censoring of equivocal patients and counting cumulative rather than consecutive rises in PSA (without a decrease) had little empiric effect on the ASTRO recurrence rates. However, we favor the addition of both these modifications to the ASTRO definition on conceptual grounds for evaluating patients following any modality (radiation or surgery), whereby a trend over multiple PSA values is used to judge failure, (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc.
Keywords: radiotherapy; prostate cancer; brachytherapy; follow-up; prostate-cancer; predict; external-beam irradiation; antigen nadir
Journal Title: International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics
Volume: 48
Issue: 5
ISSN: 0360-3016
Publisher: Elsevier Inc.  
Date Published: 2000-12-01
Start Page: 1469
End Page: 1474
Language: English
ACCESSION: WOS:000165604600028
DOI: 10.1016/s0360-3016(00)01359-6
PROVIDER: wos
PUBMED: 11121650
Notes: Article -- Source: Wos
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  1. Louis Potters
    38 Potters
  2. Steven A Leibel
    252 Leibel
  3. Paul A Fearn
    59 Fearn
  4. Michael W Kattan
    218 Kattan