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Results from adjunctive radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy

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Summary

A significant number of patients with apparently localized prostate cancer have stage C disease on pathologic examination. Over 1/3 of these patients will develop local and systemic disease if left untreated. Radiation is the option preferred by patients because it is not associated with loss of libido. Use of adjuvant radiation after radical prostatectomy for pathologic stage C disease substantially reduces the incidence of local recurrence. The radiation is most effective and has the least morbidity at a dose of <6,000 rads, given within 3 months after surgery in a patient who has regained continence. The major side effect of adjuvant radiation in combination with surgery is a high incidence of impotence. In limited studies with short follow-up, adjuvant radiation does not appear to reduce the incidence of systemic recurrences. However, larger randomized, uncontrolled trials should be carried out to confirm this. The availability of serum prostatic-specific antigen may provide a useful marker for screening appropriate patients for adjuvant radiation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, University of California, School of Medicine, 94143-0738, San Francisco, California, USA

    P. Narayan

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  1. P. Narayan
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Narayan, P. Results from adjunctive radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy. World J Urol 7, 47–50 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01576845

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01576845

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