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Abstract

We laud the second respondent's zeal for level 1 evidence, provided through randomized Phase III clinical trials and agree that they are the reference standard to determine standard practice and to change long-standing treatment paradigms. We reiterate that we have no illusions that our analysis should alter the current standard of care; we posit that the analysis should allow hypothesis generation for future trials. A Multi-Institutional Matched-Control Analysis of Adjuvant and Salvage Postoperative Radiation Therapy for pT3-4N0 Prostate CancerUrologyVol. 72Issue 6PreviewIt is unclear whether postoperative salvage radiation therapy (SRT) and early adjuvant radiotherapy (ART) after radical prostatectomy lead to equivalent long-term tumor control. We studied a group of patients undergoing ART by comparing them with a matched control group undergoing SRT after biochemical failure. Full-Text PDF Editorial CommentUrologyVol. 72Issue 6PreviewWhen asked to write this editorial, I initially demurred, reasoning that the subject at hand is the subject of 2 randomized controlled studies of almost 1500 subjects; and both have reported their initial results. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer trial, a study of about 1000 men, has reported their short-term results: a significant reduction in prostate-specific antigen relapse with radiotherapy.1 The Southwestern Oncology Group 8794 trial, with longer follow-up, showed an even greater reduction in biochemical failure, delaying the median time to failure by 7 years. Full-Text PDF