Salvage radical prostatectomy for recurrent prostate cancer after radiation therapy

Salvage radical prostatectomy is considered for patients with locally recurrent prostate cancer after external beam radiotherapy. Between 2001 and 2004, 32 men treated with curative intent with radiotherapy for prostate cancer were subsequently treated with salvage surgery for clinically localized prostate cancer. We assessed the morbidity associated with this procedure and the outcome of the patients. Thirty-two patients underwent salvage radical prostatectomy. Initial pre-radiation median prostate-specific antigen was 13 ng/ml. Pre-radiation disease was clinical stage T1b in five cases, T2a in 10, T2b in 10 and T3a in seven. Mean operative time was 122 minutes, intraoperative blood loss was 550 ml and hospital stay and catheterization time were 5 and 12 days, respectively. There was biochemical failure in eight patients after salvage radical prostatectomy and 24 patients are biochemical non evidence of disease (bNED). In recurrent prostate local disease with prostate-specific antigen < 10 ng/ml and life expectancy greater than 10 years, salvage radical prostatectomy is a reasonable treatment option.