Practice patterns for prostate cancer in nine central and northern Italy radiation oncology centers: a survey including 1759 patients treated during two decades (1980-1998).

Purpose: Prostate cancer patients in Italy are offered the choice of the full spectrum of possible treatment options for their disease, but the diffusion of the more recent technological refinements among the Radiation Oncology centers is not homogeneous and there is a need to establish a reference "historical" data source. This retrospective study describes the changing patterns in prostate cancer patient practice and the therapeutic results obtained in nine Radiation Oncology centers of Northern and Central Italy (five in Northern Italy and four in Central Italy).

Methods And Materials: A total of 1759 prostate cancer patients, radically treated in the nine radiotherapy (RT) centers between 1980 and 1998, made up the study population.