Intensity-modulated radiotherapy combined with endocrine therapy for intermediate and advanced prostate cancer: long-term outcome of Chinese patients.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate acute adverse events and efficacy of three-dimensional intensity- modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) combined with endocrine therapy for intermediate and advanced prostate cancer.

Methods: Sixty-seven patients were treated with three-dimensional IMRT combined with maximum androgen blockade. The correlation between radiation-induced rectal injury and clinical factors was further analyzed.

Results: After treatment, 21 patients had complete remission (CR), 37 had partial remission (PR), and nine had stable disease (SD), with an overall response rate of 86.5%. The follow-up period ranged from 12.5 to 99.6 months. Thirty-nine patients had a follow-up time of ≥ five years. In this group, three-year and five-year overall survival rates were 89% and 89.5%, respectively; three-year and five-year progression-free survival rates were 72% and 63%. In univariate analyses, gross tumor volume was found to be prognostic for survival (χ2 = 5.70, P = 0.037). Rates of leucopenia and anemia were 91.1% and 89.5%, respectively. Two patients developed acute liver injury, and a majority of patients developed acute radiation proctitis and cystitis, mainly grade 1/2. Tumor volume before treatment was the only prognostic factor influencing the severity of acute radiation proctitis (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: IMRT combined with endocrine therapy demonstrated promising efficacy and was well tolerated in patients with intermediate and advanced prostate cancer.