Radiotherapy for local progression in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of radi otherapy on the local progression of hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Methods: From 1986 to 1995, 38 patients were diagnosed with local progressi on without distant progression after hormonal therapy at Chiba University H ospital. Eleven cases were treated with irradiation for local progression. External beam irradiation was delivered to the prostate at a dose of 50-66. 6 Gy. Results: In patients treated with radiotherapy, the duration from initial t reatment to local recurrence was 6-80 months (mean +/- SD: 33.9 +/- 22.9 mo nths). The follow-up period after irradiation was 7-64 months (mean +/- SD: 25.4 +/- 18.8 months). Three and 5 year cause-specific survival rates from radiotherapy were 46.2 and 23.1%, respectively. Radiotherapy had a marked effect on symptoms associated with local progression and no patients suffer ed from the symptoms after the radiotherapy. Complications of radiotherapy were limited. Conclusions: In patients with hormone refractory local progression without distant progression, low morbidity, low mortality radiotherapy offers a var iable therapy to other palliative treatments because radiotherapy is able t o control local symptoms for a long period of time.