Radiotherapy and Hormone Therapy in Intermediate Risk Prostate Cancer: a Critical Review

Abstract

Introduction: The standard treatment for patients with high risk prostate cancer is the combined use of radiation therapy (RT) and hormone therapy (HT). In regards to patients stratified as intermediate risk, the use of HT associated with RT remains controversial, and its use should be carefully planned and based on available evidence. Objective: To critically assess results of randomized studies published in the literature that associated the use of HT of short duration with an average period of 6 months with RT in the treatment of patients with localized prostate cancer classified as intermediate risk. Method: Only randomized studies comparing these treatments were eligible for this review. A structured search through “PubMed” was carried out using the terms “androgen suppression therapy”, “radiotherapy”, “randomized trials”, “phase 3 trials”, “prostate cancer” and “intermediate risk”. Results: Four randomized studies comparing RT alone to RT plus short course HT were found and selected. The majority of the trials had a mixed population of intermediate and high risk disease and did not include patients with only intermediate risk. Despite that, there appears to be a significant benefit for the combined approach regarding disease-free survival, biochemicalfree survival and overall survival. Conclusion: The randomized studies published so far suggest improved outcomes for the group of patients receiving RT and short course HT. Data from randomized trials comparing RT alone to RT and short course HT in patients with intermediate risk only are forthcoming.