Pathological staging and biochemical recurrence after neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy in combination with radical prostatectomy in clinically localized prostate cancer: results of a phase II study

Objectives To assess the pathological staging and biochemical progression‐free survival (assessed using serum prostate‐specific antigen level) of patients with clinically localized prostate cancer using neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in combination with radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP). Patients and methods A prospective study was carried out on 69 patients with localized prostate cancer who were enrolled in a trial of 3 months of ADT followed by RRP (group 1). These patients were compared with 72 patients matched for age and clinical stage who declined ADT therapy and had RRP concurrently (group 2). Assignment to the individual treatment groups was thus determined by the patient's preference and not the physician's selection. Pathological staging and biochemical progression‐free recurrence were compared between the groups. Results The rate of organ‐confined (pT2) tumours was 74% in group 1 and 49% in group 2 (P