[Place of bilateral pulpectomy as a method of androgen suppression therapy in prostate cancer]

Abstract

Purpose: To report the oncologic results and morbidity of bilateral pulpectomy and to identify factors that make this method of androgen suppression therapy the most used in our country.

Patients and methods: We conducted a prospective study in the urology department of Aristide Le-Dantec hospital (Dakar) between January 2008 and June 2010 (30 months). It included 84 cases of prostate cancer treated by bilateral pulpectomy under local anesthesia.

Results: The mean age of patients was 72.17±12.48 years (53-91). The median PSA level was 101 ng/mL (12.18-9990). Metastasis have been detected in 75% of cases. The Gleason score was higher than 7 in 40 patients (47.6%). Three months after pulpectomy, an improvement of performance status was seen in 76 patients (90.4%). The back pain significantly decreased in intensity or disappeared in 65.3% (32/49) of cases. A complete recovery of lower limbs motor deficit was observed in 50% of cases (7/14). The PSA levels decreased in 57 of the 76 patients alive and the mean PSA level was then 72±11.7 ng/mL (3.8-2433). At six months, of the 53 patients in urinary retention, 18 had recovered spontaneous and complete urination. The PSA level was below 4 ng/mL in 33.8% (22/65) of cases and between 4 and 10 ng/mL in 52.3% (34/65) of cases. At 12 months, the median PSA nadir was 0.76 ng/mL (0,002-8,17) and 57.4% of the 54 patients alive had a PSA nadir less than 2 ng/mL. The mean follow-up was 11.08±10.34 months (1-30). A rising PSA occurred in 17 patients (20.2%) after an mean progression-free survival of 10.5 months (6-25). The overall survival at 6, 12 and 24 months were respectively 77.3, 64.3 and 52.3%. The overall cost of pulpectomy was 50 000 FCFA (76€). The specific morbidity of pulpectomy was two cases (2.4%) of infection of the operative site.

Conclusion: The bilateral pulpectomy was a method of androgen suppression immediately effective, efficacious with a low morbidity. Its very low cost is the main reason why it is still the most used method in our country.