25-Year Disease-Free Survival Rate After Irradiation for Prostate Cancer Calculated with the Prostate Specific Antigen Definition of Recurrence Used for Radical Prostatectomy

With this irradiation program cancer control, defined using the recurrence definition for radical prostatectomy, was durable with no further recurrence between 15.5 and 25 years of followup. This study also suggests that at least 15 years of followup are necessary to fully evaluate any prostate cancer treatment. Furthermore, if prostate specific antigen is less than 0.20 ng/ml 15 years after treatment, later recurrence should be unlikely.