Adjuvant and Salvage Radiation for Advanced Prostate Cancer: A Discussion During the ESOU 2010 Meeting

Adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) for advanced localised prostate cancer (PCa) is now supported by the findings from three randomised controlled trials, having shown improved biochemical recurrence–free survival rates in three trials and an improved metastases-free survival in one trial. Patients with positive surgical margins are most likely to benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy. In this article, the three trials are compared and the control groups scrutinised. Salvage RT at the time of a biochemical or local recurrence is still valid and seems particularly beneficial for men with more rapidly rising prostate-specific antigen values prior to salvage treatment, when disease-specific survival is considered.