Radiotherapy combined with androgen deprivation therapy improves survival in Prostate Cancer patients

Men with locally advanced Prostate Cancer and who receive radiotherapy (RT) on top of their androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) using treatments such as leuprolide acetate have greater overall survival compared with men on ADT alone. This trial followed 1205 patients were randomly assigned to either ADT and RT or ADT alone. The addition of RT to ADT improved overall survival at 7 years (74% ADT/RT vs 66% ADT). Serious long-term genitourinary or gastrointestinal toxicity from RT was uncommon, and low numbers of serious adverse events were recorded in each group. The study, published in The Lancet, suggests that the benefits of the combination of ADT and RT should be discussed with all patients considering a curative treatment approach. See: "Combined androgen deprivation therapy and radiation therapy for locally advanced prostate cancer: a randomised, phase 3 trial" by Padraig Warde et al. The Lancet, November 3, 2011, DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(11)61095-7