Management of patients with localized prostate cancer and biochemical recurrence in Spain: A medical survey

INTRODUCTION

The management of patients with prostate cancer (PCa) is established in clinical practice guidelines, which are based on randomized studies according to the level of evidence. In Spain, the degree of compliance with these guidelines in clinical practice is unknown.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the profiles of PCa patients at the time of diagnosis and the management of patients with localized PCa and those with BCR in Spain.

MATERIALS & METHODS

A medical survey was conducted in specialized care (85 urologists [UROs], 64 radiation oncologists [ROs], and 21 medical oncologists [MOs]). Three questionnaires were developed for this study with 22 (UROs and ROs) or 21 questions (MOs).

RESULTS

The annual incidence of PCa was 24,057 in participating hospitals (N = 131). The extrapolated annual incidence in Spain is 40,531 cases. The estimated prevalence of PCa in Spain is 221,689. Of note, 79% and 80% of patients seen by UROs and ROs, respectively had localized PCa at diagnosis. Biopsy was the most used diagnostic test among the three specialties, followed by abdominopelvic computer tomography. More than 90% of patients with BCR underwent standard tests. Next generation imaging tests and PET-choline/PSMA are still used residually. Most patients with localized PCa are currently treated with either surgery or radiotherapy, while for BCR patients, UROs and ROs prefer radiotherapy and MOs androgen deprivation therapy alone or in combination.

CONCLUSION

This study describes patient profiles at the time of diagnosis and provides an overview of the current therapeutic management of localized PCa and BCR in clinical practice in Spain.

[Laser in prostate cancer. Applicability.]

OBJECTIVES

In recent years, there has been a rise concerning the research and development of focal prostate cancer therapies as a consequence of the high percentage of low-risk and localized prostate cancers. These focal therapies aim at preserving the gland in selected patients to avoid overtreatment. The application of lasers for focal ablation and photodynamic therapy has shown promising results in exchange for a minimal rate of adverse events compared to radical treatments.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

An extensive review of the available literature on focal laser treatments for localized prostate cancer was conducted. A search in PubMed and Embase was carried out by the following keywords: "Localised prostate cancer", "Low-risk prostate cancer", "Focal therapy", "Magnetic Resonance in localized prostate cancer", "Focal laser ablation" , "Photodynamic therapy" and "TOOKAD".

RESULTS

Photodynamic therapy with TOOKAD is the only focal therapy evaluated in a phase III clinical trial,showing a lower rate of progression and a longer time to progression compared to active surveillance. Other studies carried out have revealed a percentage up to 80% of negative biopsies 6 months after TOOKAD. Likewise, the quality of life of patients treated using focal laser ablation techniques and photodynamic therapy has been minimally altered, as most adverse effects have been shown to be mild and transient, with dysuria and hematuria being the most frequent.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the fact that focal therapies are still not recommended outside the context of clinical trials and the lack of comparative studies between the different techniques, laser focal therapies seem to havea future within the new approaches for localized prostate cancer.

Androgen deprivation therapy in patients with localized disease: Comparison with curative intent treatments and time to castration resistance. Results of the Spanish Prostate Cancer Registry

BACKGROUND

The effect of primary androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in patients with localized prostate cancer (PCa) has not been well documented. The objective of the present study was to analyze the outcome of tumors treated with ADT as primary therapy in the Spanish Prostate Cancer Registry (19.4% of the series).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients were classified in three groups: 1) with low/intermediate risk clinically localized tumors; 2) with high risk and locally advanced (T3-4) tumors; 3) with metastatic tumors. Time to castration resistance and overall cancer-specific survival were analyzed. In non-metastatic tumors, survivals in patients treated with ADT were compared with data from patients who underwent local treatments from the Spanish Prostate Cancer Registry.

RESULTS

703 cases were analyzed. There were significant differences in the time to castration resistance, which was lower in the group of metastatic tumors. During follow-up, there were 179 deaths (25.5%) of which 89 (12.6%) were due to PCa. After 3 years of ADT, only 14.6% of patients in group 1 had died (1% due to PCa), 20.5% in group 2 and 46.8% in group 3 (9.2% and 31.3% due to PCa, respectively). Cancer-specific survival was significantly worse in group 1 using ADT than radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy. In high-risk and locally advanced tumors, ADT also had a lower cancer-specific survival than local treatments.

CONCLUSION

A longer time until the castration resistance was observed in patients with well- and intermediate-risk localized tumors treated with ADT. Patients with metastatic tumors showed the shortest time to castration resistance.

High-intensity focused ultrasound therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer: Medium-term experience

INTRODUCTION

The treatment of localised prostate cancer seeks to minimise the impact on sexual function and urinary continence. In this respect, therapy with high-intensity focused ultrasound offers important results. We present our experience with this technique in 2 Spanish centres.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective review of 75 patients with localised prostate cancer treated with high-intensity focused ultrasound between March 2007 and July 2016. The oncological results and perioperative complications were assessed, as well as the impact on sexual function and continence.

RESULTS

A total of 67 patients were analysed. The mean follow-up was 7.2 years. The PSA nadir was 0.2ng/mL (0-3), 24 patients (35.5%) presented biochemical recurrence, and 18 underwent a further biopsy, with 10 cases (55.5%) presenting disease recurrence. The overall biochemical relapse-free survival at 5 and 8 years was 93.2 and 80.5%, respectively. The cancer-specific survival at 5 and 8 years was 96% in both cases. In the postoperative period, 50 patients (74.6%) were continent, 16 (23.9%) reported mild incontinence, and one (1.5%) reported moderate incontinence. The median International Index of Erectile Function-5 before and after the surgery was 17 (5-25) and 16 (2-23) points, respectively. Nine patients reported de novo erectile dysfunction (13.5%).

CONCLUSION

High-intensity focused ultrasound appears to be a safe alternative for the treatment of localised prostate cancer, especially for low-risk localised prostate cancer. In our experience, this technique offers advantages in preserving urinary continence, and the medium-term oncological results are encouraging. Given the natural progression of prostate cancer, long-term studies with a larger number of cases are needed to corroborate these results.