Radical prostatectomy in localized prostate cancer treatment

From April 1991 to December 1996, 200 patients with localized prostatic carcinoma (PC)underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy (RP). We present our experience on 150 patients presenting a minimum of 6-month follow-up after surgery. Operative morbidity included 4 rectal and I obturator nerve injures, and no fatality. At 2.5 years follow-up global PC relapse-free survival (RFS) was 65.3%: 69.2% for organ-confined disease and 55.2% for extra-prostatic disease (p<0.05); pT3 patients presented 65% RFS and pN+ patients 37% RFS. We found significant RFS differences among histological grading groups (82.2% for G2-4, 63.3% for G5-7, 42.4% for G8-10, p<0.05). At 2.5 years follow-up the RFS for patients with pre-operative PSA less than or equal to 20 ng/ml was 76.6% versus 38.8% for those with PSA > 20 ng/ml (p<O.05). Until maximal follow-up 3 patients died from disease progression, and 4 from other causes.