THE IMPACT OF CO-MORBIDITY ON LIFE EXPECTANCY AMONG MEN WITH LOCALIZED PROSTATE-CANCER

Purpose: We evaluated 3 indexes used to assess patient co-morbidities to determine whether they could predict mortality among men with clini cally localized prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: We measured th e impact of co-morbidity classifications on all cause mortality using a parametric proportional hazards model based on a retrospective cohor t analysis. Results: Each index tested is a highly significant predict or of mortality for patients dying of nonprostate cancer related cause s after adjusting for age and Gleason score. Conclusions: Each co-morb idity index provides significant, independent predictive information c oncerning patient mortality beyond that provided by age, Gleason score and clinical stage alone.