Carcinoma of the prostate: control of pelvic tumor by radiotherapy
Marcial, V.A.; Tomé, J.M.; Ubiñas, J.; Marcial-Vega, L.V.
Boletin de la Asociacion Medica de Puerto Rico 74(1): 11-14
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-4849 PMID: 6958267 Document Number: 700934
Carcinoma of the prostate has become the leading cancer in Puerto Rican males and its incidence continues increasing. With the aim of determining the efficacy of radiation therapy to the diesease in the pelvis, a restrospective review of patients with stage A, B, and C treated at the Radiotherapy Institute of the Metropolitan Hospital during the period July 1972 to December 1978 was conducted. One hundred and five patients with disease clinically limited to the pelvis received irradiation during the stated period. Radiotherapy controlled the desease in the pelvis in 84 percent of the patients. Fifty percent of patients survived 5years. Ninety three percent of 5-year suvivors were free of tumor. The complication rate, pelvic tumor control and survival achieved are comparable to those reported in the medical literature. We advise early radiotherapy for clinically evident carcinoma of the prostate limited to the pelvis. Needle biopsy of the prostate should be used as the preferred diagnostic method, inasmuch as transurethral resection increases the incidence of radiation complications. Hormonal therapy should be avoided until definitive evidence of distant metastasis is available.
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