Oncology reports
-
The role of neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT) before radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer remains controversial because many argue that apparent downstaging results in difficulties with the pathological evaluation of the neoadjuvant treated prostatectomy specimen. Furthermore, the downstaging to pT0 (no residual tumor), as reported by several institutions, remains questionable and is not yet confirmed by clinical or experimental evidence. To examine this issue and to assess the influence of NHT on downstaging, we investigated the stage pT0 status in radical prostatectomy specimens after NHT. ⋯ Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that only a longer duration of NHT was an independent predictor of a stage pT0 status in radical prostatectomy specimens after NHT (p=0.04, Odds ratio; 1.92, 95% CI; 1.03-3.56). Downstaging to pT0 occurs after duration of NHT of longer than 3 months. Further investigation of the optimal duration of NHT for downstaging and for improving patients' survival should be accomplished in randomized trials.