Unusually large numbers needed to treat for radical prostatectomy in prostate cancer patients with PSA velocity ≤2 ng/ml/year.

Background: The numbers needed to treat (NNT) and the corresponding confidence intervals for patients with prostate cancer and defined annual PSA increases (PSA velocity, PSAV) have not been described previously.

Aim: The objective of this study is to assess NNT, numbers needed to treat to harm and corresponding confidence intervals for radical prostatectomy (RP) in patients with prostate cancer defined as a PSAV ≤2 ng/ml/year.

Methods: NNT following RP were estimated in risk groups defined by PSAV using mortality statistics and hazard ratios obtained in a noncontrolled trial.