24 Mar Excellent Prognosis For Low Grade Localized Prostate Cancer In Elderly

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Grace Lu-Yao, PhD, MPH, Professor of Medicine
Cancer epidemiologist at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States. Because of widespread prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening, most contemporary men are diagnosed with localized disease. Data from large well executed trials have shown improvement in overall mortality for men <65 years of age undergoing surgery for localized prostate cancer but no significant benefit for men 65 years of age or older. More than half of prostate cancer patients are diagnosed at age 65 or older. Despite that the majority of elderly patients with low-risk prostate cancer might be over-treated, only a small percentage of men in the United States have their prostate cancer managed conservatively. This study was undertaken to provide crucial long-term outcomes data so that prostate cancer patients can use these data for treatment decision.

Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Response: We found that the 15-year disease specific survival is excellent for those men diagnosed with Gleason 5-7 disease. The data support conservative management as a reasonable choice for elderly patients with low grade localized prostate cancer.
Patients should be informed of potential outcomes without aggressive cancer therapies and potential side effects of aggressive treatment when making treatment decisions.

Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: To identify potential biomarkers or predictors that can identify patients who have aggressive prostate cancer and treat only those who have aggressive cancer.

Citation:

Grace L. Lu-Yao et al. Fifteen-year Outcomes Following Conservative Management Among Men Aged 65 Years or Older with Localized Prostate Cancer. European Urology, March 2015 DOI: 10.1016/j.eururo.2015.03.021

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MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Grace Lu-Yao, PhD, MPH, Professor of Medicine (2015). Excellent Prognosis For Low Grade Localized Prostate Cancer In Elderly

Last Updated on March 24, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD