Pathological and oncological outcomes of elderly men with clinically localized prostate cancer.

Objective: The aim of the study was to characterize pathological and oncological outcomes of elderly men with clinically localized prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy.

Methods: Data from 1268 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy between 2000 and 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were classified according to whether they were of age <70 or ≥70 years at radical prostatectomy. Patient characteristics, pathological and oncological outcomes were compared among the groups.

Results: Of the total population, 31.4% (398 of 1268) of patients were ≥70 years of age. The median age in patients <70 and ≥70 years of age was 64 (45-69) and 72 (70-83) years. The proportion of low-risk disease was significantly lower among those ≥70 years of age than in those <70 years, while the proportion of high-risk disease was significantly higher among those ≥70 years of age than in those <70 years (P < 0.001). The proportions of pathological high-risk disease (≥T3b, GS ≥8, positive surgical margin or lymph node invasion) in patients <70 and ≥70 years of age were 42.0 and 50.0%, respectively (P = 0.008). The proportions of organ-confined disease in patients <70 and ≥70 years of age were 69.9 and 65.1%, respectively (P = 0.09). With a median follow-up of 50 months, 5-year biochemical recurrence-free and cancer-specific survival rates were not significantly different among the groups.

Conclusions: Radical prostatectomy was more likely to be performed in those with higher-risk disease among patients ≥70 years of age. About half of the patients ≥70 years of age had pathological, high-risk disease. Radical prostatectomy could be considered for patients with expected long-term life expectancy, even in the setting of advanced age.