[External radiotherapy with curative intent for adenocarcinoma clinically localized to the prostate (T1 to T3N0M0): intermediate results with a minimum follow-up of 4 years].

External beam radiation therapy is a well-established alternative to radical surgery for the treatment of clinically localized prostate cancer. However, many recent studies suggest that this treatment fails to eradicate prostatic tumors. Outcomes in 100 patients treated in a single institution are reported herein. Follow-up was at least four years in every case. Although survival rates were comparable to or greater than those reported in earlier studies, rates of local and distant recurrences were high, indicating poor treatment efficacy. These data suggest that radiation therapy is not an acceptable alternative to radical surgery for the curative treatment of localized prostatic carcinoma.