Risk of Prostate Cancer–Specific Mortality Following Biochemical Recurrence After Radical Prostatectomy

To define risk factors for prostate cancer death following radical prostatectomy and to develop tables to risk stratify for prostate cancer-specific survival. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: Retrospective cohort study of 379 men who had undergone radical prostatectomy at an urban tertiary care hospital between 1982 and 2000 and who had a biochemical recurrence and after biochemical failure had at least 2 prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values at least 3 months apart in order to calculate PSA doubling time (PSADT). The mean (SD) follow-up after surgery was 10.3 (4.7) years and median follow-up was 10 years (range, 1-20 years). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Prostate cancer-specific mortality.

Median survival had not been reached after 16 years of follow-up after biochemical recurrence. Prostate-specific doubling time ( or =15.0 months), pathological Gleason score (3 years) were all significant risk factors for time to prostate-specific mortality. Using these 3 variables, tables were constructed to estimate the risk of prostate cancer-specific survival at year 15 after biochemical recurrence.