Natural history of an immediately detectable PSA following radical prostatectomy: A description of a contemporary cohort.

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

356 Background: Radical prostatectomy (RP) can provide good long-term oncological outcomes in patients with localized and locally advanced prostate cancer (PCa). After RP, prostate specific antigen (PSA) represents the corner stone for follow-up of patients. A persistently detectable PSA immediately following RP is an unfavourable prognostic factor. We described the natural history of the management and outcomes in men with a detectable PSA in an academic cohort. Methods: A retrospective review of prospectively collected clinical and pathologic data from consecutive patients who underwent RP for non-metastatic PCa between 2000 and 2018 was performed. A detectable PSA was defined as PSA ≥ 0.05 ng/ml between 2-6 months post-surgery. Biochemical recurrence (BCR) was defined as two consecutive PSA values ≥ 0.2 ng/ml after 6 months post-surgery or any salvage treatment for a rising PSA. Second recurrence was defined as additional treatment after post-RP salvage treatment. Outcomes were defined as time to other cause mortality (OCM) or prostate cancer specific mortality (PCSM). Results: We identified 499 men with a detectable PSA within 6 months following RP. Median PSA at diagnosis was 7.95 ng/ml (IQR 5.57-12.97). Median CAPRA-S score was 5 (IQR 2-7). Median follow-up was 41 months (IQR 20-77). 296 (59%) underwent salvage treatment for a rising PSA at a median of 5 months. 33 (23%) of these men required further treatment (10 for bone metastases) at a median of 7 months. 203 (41%) of men with an immediately detectable PSA did not undergo any further treatment after RP. Treatment-free survival after post-RP salvage (31 on ADT and 2 underwent salvage RT) in men with a detectable vs undetectable PSA was 86% vs 92% at 1 year, 78% vs 89% at 3 years, 72% vs 86% at 5 years and 70% vs 76% at 10 years (Log-rank p =0.02). Prostate cancer specific survival in men with a detectable vs undetectable PSA was 100% vs 100% at 1 year, 99% vs 100% at 3 years, 96% vs 100% at 5 years and 91% vs 99% at 10 years (Log-rank p < 0.01). Conclusions: This report describes the natural history of the management and outcomes in men with a detectable PSA following RP. We demonstrate that men with a detectable PSA after RP may have excellent long-term outcomes.