Is age at the time of surgery a predictor of biochemical failure following radical prostatectomy?

Abstract

e22110 Background: Preoperative PSA level, Gleason score, and tumor stage have all been shown to influence risk of recurrence after radical prostatectomy. Increasing age has been associated with more indolent behavior in some cancers. This study evaluates the effects of age at surgery on recurrence-free survival in prostate cancer patients at a single institution stratified by established preoperative risk factors. Methods: Using the Columbia Urologic Oncology Database, a retrospective analysis of 3,736 men treated with open or robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer from 1988 to 2008 was conducted. Patients were divided into two groups by age at the time of surgery, and recurrence-free survival rates were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves. The subgroups were stratified by preoperative PSA level, biopsy Gleason score, and clinical stage; multivariate analyses with cox proportional hazards models were used to further identify independent predictors of recurrence. Recurrence was defined as a single PSA level of 0.2 ng/ml or greater at least 28 days after surgery. Results: 1,984 patients were divided into groups 1 (n=1,325 age 40–64) and 2 (n=659 age ≥65). Five-year recurrence-free survival rates were 80.6%(CI: 78.0–82.9%) and 75.6%(CI: 71.5–79.1%) for groups 1 and 2, respectively. In the univariate model, advanced age was significantly associated with an increased overall risk of recurrence (HR 1.30, p=0.012). However, in multivariate analyses accounting for PSA, Gleason score, and clinical stage, age was not shown to be an independent predictor of recurrence (HR 1.04, p=0.76). In a subset of patients with low-grade cancer (Gleason score 2- 6), advanced age was associated in a univariate analysis with an even greater relative risk of recurrence (HR 1.47, p=0.032). However, this was not significant in the multivariate model (HR 1.27, p=0.21). Conclusions: Older patients who undergo radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer appear to have an increased risk of recurrence, which is most notable in patients with low-grade disease. However, age is not an independent predictor of recurrence when accounting for PSA, grade, and stage. No significant financial relationships to disclose.