[Therapy choices of German urologists and radio-oncologists if personally diagnosed with localized prostate cancer].

INTRODUCTION

We evaluated the currently preferred primary treatment options among German urologists and radio-oncologists if personally diagnosed with localized prostate cancer, taking into consideration the different prognostic risk groups.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A questionnaire was mailed to 3,217 urologists and 598 radio-oncologists. They were asked to choose their preferred primary treatment option if they were personally diagnosed with prostate cancer, taking into consideration the different prognostic risk groups: low risk [Gleason score < or =6, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) < or =10 microg/l, T1c], intermediate risk (Gleason score 7, PSA 11-19 microg/l, T2), and high risk (Gleason score > or =8, PSA> or =20 microg/l, T3). Surgical options were further subdivided according to technique (retropubic, laparoscopic, perineal).

RESULTS

The questionnaire return rate was 49% for urologists and 41% for radio-oncologists. The mean age was 48 years (28-86) for urologists and 47 years (29-68) for radio-oncologists. Primary surgical treatment was selected by 62% of urologists for low-risk prostate cancer, 90% for intermediate-risk prostate cancer, and 77% for high-risk prostate cancer. Radiotherapy as a primary treatment option was elected by 71% of radio-oncologists for low-risk prostate cancer, 84% for intermediate-risk prostate cancer, and 89% for high-risk prostate cancer. Retropubic, laparoscopic, and perineal prostatectomy would be chosen by 61%, 28%, and 10% of urologists, respectively, for low-risk prostate cancer; by 70%, 24%, and 6%, respectively, for intermediate-risk prostate cancer, and by 80%, 15%, and 5%, respectively for high-risk prostate cancer.

CONCLUSION

Urologists prefer surgery and radio-oncologists radiotherapy for primary treatment of prostate cancer, irrespective of the prognostic risk group. Particularly for high-risk prostate cancer, the majority of radiooncologists would still choose radiotherapy as a primary treatment option. In the age of minimally invasive surgery, radical retropubic prostatectomy is still the preferred surgical treatment option among urologists for any prognostic risk group.