Localized and Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer: Treatment Options

Abstract

Background: There are many treatment options for localized and locally advanced prostate cancer with radiotherapy and surgery representing the main local therapeutic strategies.

Summary: Depending on the risk of disease recurrence, we can stratify patients into low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups, which will guide patients' treatment. For low-risk patients, active surveillance is an option. Brachytherapy is also an option for low- and intermediate-risk patients and can be used as a boost following external beam radiotherapy for high-risk patients. For intermediate- and high-risk patients, radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy should be considered. Moreover, in addition to radiotherapy, concomitant androgen deprivation therapy may be needed. Finally, after radical prostatectomy and depending on pathological, biological and clinical factors, radiotherapy ± androgen deprivation therapy can be proposed as an adjuvant or salvage treatment. Key Messages: With radiotherapy and surgery being well-established treatment options for localized prostate cancer patients with equally good overall survival rates, priority must be given to patients' choice concerning the logistics and the toxicity profile of each option.

Keywords: Patients’ quality of life; Prostate cancer; Radical prostatectomy; Radiotherapy.