The Role of Prostate-specific Antigen Persistence After Radical Prostatectomy for the Prediction of Clinical Progression and Cancer-specific Mortality in Node-positive Prostate Cancer Patients

Abstract Background A complete biochemical response (BR) immediately after surgery could be considered an indicator of optimal cancer control after radical prostatectomy (RP). Objective To evaluate the prognostic value of early postoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels after RP in patients with lymph node invasion (LNI). Design, setting, and participants The study included 319 prostate cancer patients with LNI who were treated with RP and extended pelvic lymph node dissection (ePLND) at a single institution between 1998 and 2013. All men had complete clinical, pathologic, and follow-up data, including PSA value at 6 wk after surgery. Patients were divided into two groups according to PSA value at 6 wk after surgery: complete BR (PSA