Practice trends in the diagnosis and management of prostate cancer in the United States.

PURPOSE

The American Urological Association first commissioned the Gallup Organization of Princeton, New Jersey to conduct a study to assess urologists' practice patterns in 1991.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A random sample of 514 American urologists was surveyed by the Gallup Organization regarding practice patterns used in the staging and treatment of prostate cancer. The third annual survey taken during August 1994 asked questions regarding the practice of respondents in their diagnosis and management of prostatic cancer.

RESULTS

The survey revealed that 95% of the respondents would recommend radical prostatectomy for men younger than 70 years with confirmed clinically localized prostate cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

In this patient age group, surprisingly, the survey resulted in some interesting facts: 1) 13% regard hormonal manipulation for early stage cancer appropriate, 2) the respondents used extensive numbers of diagnostic staging studies in the new prostate cancer patient with a prostate specific antigen of less than 10 and 3) despite the obvious increased costs, the majority of patients receiving hormone manipulation were being treated with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists rather than orchiectomy.