Prostate specific antigen density as a prognostic factor in patients with prostate cancer treated with combined hormonal radiation therapy

Purpose. To evaluate prostate specifc antigen density (PSAD) as a predictor of overall (OS) and cancerspecifc survival (CSS) in patients with prostate cancer (PC) who have undergone combined hormonal-radiation therapy.

Material and Methods. In order to assess the prognostic signifcance of PSAD we retrospectively analyzed outcomes of 714 PCa patients who received combined hormonal-radiation therapy at the A.M. Granov Russian Scientifc Center of Radiology and Surgical Technologies, Ministry of Healthcare of Russia, between January 1996 and December 2016. Since the prognosis and management differ according to the extent of tumor involvement, patients were categorized into localized (n=272), locally advanced (n=231) and metastatic (n=211) PC groups. We equentially applied ROC-analysis, Kaplan-Meier product limit estimator and Cox proportional hazards model to assess the prognostic relevance and establish threshold values of PSAD that had a signifcant impact on survival rates.

Results. In the localized PC group, PSAD threshold values of 0.34 ng/mL/cc and 0.36 ng/mL/cc were associated with a decrease in OS and CSS, respectively. Patients with “low” PSAD had signifcantly better OS and CSS survival rates in both uni- and multivariate analyses. In locally advanced PC group, PSAD threshold values were 0.28 ng/mL/cc and 0.63 ng/mL/cc for OS and CSS, respectively. However, exceeding the specifed values, in the locally advanced PC group, was not accompanied by a statistically signifcant decrease in survival rates. Finally, in the metastatic PC group, established PSAD threshold values were 2.25 ng/mL/cc and 2.30 ng/mL/ccfor OS and CSS, respectively. According to the results of univariate analysis, patients with “low” PSA tend to demonstrate statistically signifcant better OS and CSS rates. The results of multivariate analysis, however, failed to prove PSAD as an independent prognostic factor within the metastatic PC cohort. Conclusion. PSA density is a reliable tool for assessing survival rates in patients with localized PC who have undergone combined hormonal-radiation therapy.

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