The clinical spectrum of prostate cancer

Review of 206 consecutive patients with prostatic carcinoma and a potential for 10 yr followup indicates the efficacy of vigorous surgical or hormonal management. Satisfactory documented followup was achieved in 88% of the group for 5 yr and 82% of the group for 10 yr. Among 33 patients undergoing radical perineal prostatectomy survival rates were 84% at 5 yr and 58% at 10 yr. In the entire series, irrespective of modality of treatment, approximately half of the patients survived 5 yr and a 4th for 10 yr. Hormonal therapy of choice was orchiectomy combined with relatively high doses of estrogens, with no indication of significant cardiovascular morbidity or mortality. Interestingly, stage A disease (often diffuse, anaplastic and unsuspected) demonstrated a significantly increased mortality risk when compared to stage B (localized and usually well differentiated) carcinoma of the prostate.