DEFERRED TREATMENT OF CLINICALLY LOCALIZE D PROSTATE-CANCER - THE KAROLINSKA HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE

From 1978 to 1982, 172 patients with T1-3, Nx, MO prostate cancer were included in a surveillance protocol with deferred treatment on sympto matic progression. The median age at diagnosis was 68 (38-89) years. T he disease-specific survival at 10 years was 80 % for the total series , 84 % for the subgroup with T1-2 tumors, and 92 % for patients with T 1-2 tumors diagnosed when the patients were old less than 70 years. Fo r the subgroup with T3 tumors, the disease-specific survival at 9 year s was 70 %. In all subgroups the competing mortality was higher than t he prostate cancer mortality. Deferred treatment appears to be an acce ptable treatment option for patients with a tumor clinically confined to the prostate with a life expectancy of 10 years or less.