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Background Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is greatly affected by prostate cancer (PCa) and associated treatments. This study aimed to measure the impact of radiotherapy on HRQoL and to further validate the Spanish version of the 16-item Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC-16) in routine clinical practice. Methods An observational, non-interventional, multicenter study was conducted in Spain with localized PCa patients initiating treatment with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) or brachytherapy (BQT). Changes from baseline in EPIC-16, University of California-Los Angeles Prostate Cancer Index (UCLA-PCI), and patient-perceived health status were longitudinally assessed at end of radiotherapy (V2) and 90 days thereafter (V3). Psychometric evaluations of the Spanish EPIC-16 were conducted. Results Of 516 patients enrolled, 495 were included in the analysis (EBRT, n = 361; BQT, n = 134). At baseline, mean (standard deviation [SD]) EPIC-16 global scores were 11.9 (7.5) and 10.3 (7.7) for EBRT and BQT patients, respectively; scores increased, i.e., HRQoL worsened, from baseline, by mean (SD) of 6.8 (7.6) at V2 and 2.4 (7.4) at V3 for EBRT and 4.2 (7.6) and 3.9 (8.2) for BQT patients. Changes in Spanish EPIC-16 domains correlated well with urinary, bowel, and sexual UCLA-PCI domains. EPIC-16 showed good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = .84), reliability, and construct validity. Conclusion The Spanish EPIC-16 questionnaire demonstrated sensitivity, strong discriminative properties and reliability, and validity for use in clinical practice. EPIC-16 scores worsened after radiotherapy in different HRQoL domains; however, a strong tendency towards recovery was seen at the 3-month follow-up visit.

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors have antitumor activity in advanced prostate cancer associated with loss of homologous recombination repair (HRR) function. About 20% of all patients with advanced prostate cancer present germline or tumor mutations in HRR-related genes, the most common being BRCA2, mutated in approximately 10% of all advanced prostate cancers. Challenges related to sample availability, tumor heterogeneity and access to NGS technology need to be addressed for a successful implementation of genomic stratification in routine clinical practice. The recent regulatory approvals of PARP inhibitors olaparib and rucaparib represent the first molecular biomarker-guided drugs for men with prostate cancer. While these findings represent a significant advance in the field of precision medicine and prostate cancer, there are still many unsolved questions on the optimal use of PARP inhibitors in this disease. Several clinical trials have shown that different mutations in various genes are associated with distinct magnitudes of sensitivity to PARP inhibitors, with BRCA2 mutations associating with more frequent and durable responses, questioning the benefit for subset of patients with mutations in other HRR-associated genes. In this review, we scrutinize the clinical development of different PARP inhibitors for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer, and we discuss how the study of additional biomarkers and the design of rational drug combinations can maximize patient benefit from this drug class.

The optimal prognostic value of testosterone following androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is controversial. We studied the effect of serum testosterone levels on clinical outcome in localized prostate cancer (PCa) treated with ADT and high-dose radiotherapy (HRT).The DART01/05 trial randomized 355 men with intermediate and high-risk PCa to 4 months of ADT plus HRT (STADT, N = 178) or the same treatment followed by 24 months of ADT (LTADT, N = 177). This study included patients treated with LTADT who had at least 3 determinations of testosterone during ADT (N = 154). Patients were stratified into 3 subgroups by testosterone level: minimum20 ng/dL; median 20-49 ng/dL; and maximum ≥50 ng/dL. Kaplan-Meyer and Cox regression analysis were used for overall survival (OS) and FineGray regression model for metastasis free survival (MFS), biochemical disease-free survival (bDFS) and time to TT recovery.There were no statistically significant differences in 10-year bDFS, MFS, or OS between the20 ng/mL and 20-49 ng/dL subgroups. Multivariate analysis showed that a median testosterone ≥50 ng/dL was significantly associated with a decrease in bDFS (HR: 6.58, 95%CI 1.28-33.76, p = 0.03). Time to testosterone recovery after ADT did not correlate with bDFS, MFS, or OS and was not significantly associated with any of the testosterone subgroups.Our results do not support the concept that additional serum testosterone suppression below 20 ng/dL is associated with better outcomes than 20-49 ng/dL. Time to testosterone recovery after ADT and HRT did not impact clinical failure.

Approximately 30% of patients who undergo radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer develop disease progression. The only potentially curative treatment in these patients is postoperative radiotherapy with or without hormonotherapy. One of the standards of care in nonsurgical patients is hypofractionated radiotherapy. However, the current evidence based is insufficient to define the optimal dose and fractionation schedule for postoperative radiotherapy. In this context, the aim of this editorial is to assess the main efficacy and toxicity data for postoperative hypofractionated radiotherapy and discuss the potential to implement this fractionation in routine clinical practice.

Purpose: Docetaxel improves survival in patients with metastatic prostate cancer. This randomized phase 2 trial aimed to assess the activity of weekly docetaxel with radiation therapy (RT) plus androgen deprivation in patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer. The study examined the benefit of 9 weekly docetaxel administrations to RT plus 3 years of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogues. Methods and Materials: A total of 132 patients were recruited for the study. Patients' characteristics included T3-T4 stage (81.1%), Gleason score >= 8 (77.3%), prostate-specific antigen level >20 ng/mL (28.9%), and pN+ (18.2%). All patients included in the trial received either the standard-of-care control arm with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogues plus RT (arm A) or the experimental arm (RT + 9 weekly cycles of docetaxel + 3 years of androgen deprivation therapy, arm B). The primary objective was to achieve a high percentage of patients who were free of biochemical recurrence within 5 years of randomization. Secondary endpoints included biochemical recurrence-free survival (BRFS), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), clinical response rate, biochemical response rate, and toxicity. Results: No difference between the arms of the study was found in biochemical recurrence (93.4% at 60 months for arm A vs 85.3% for arm B; P = .3297). PFS at 60 months was 93.4% and 83.7% in arms A and B, respectively (P = .2532). Five-year survival was 93.3% (95% confidence interval, 83.1-97.45) in arm A versus 93.6% (83.8-97.55) in arm B; median PFS and OS have not been reached. Prostate-specific antigen level

Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men and the ninth most common in women in the Western world. The management of bladder carcinoma requires a multidisciplinary approach. Optimal treatment depends on several factors, including histology, stage, patient status, and possible comorbidities. Here we review recent findings on the treatment of muscle-invasive bladder carcinoma, advanced urothelial carcinoma, upper tract urothelial carcinoma, non-urothelial carcinoma, and urologic complications arising from the disease or treatment. In addition, we present the recommendations of the Spanish Oncology Genitourinary Group for the treatment of these diseases, based on a focused analysis of clinical management and the potential of current research, including recent findings on the potential benefit of immunotherapy. In recent years, whole-genome approaches have provided new predictive biomarkers and promising molecular targets that could lead to precision medicine in bladder cancer. Moreover, the involvement of other specialists in addition to urologists will ensure not only appropriate therapeutic decisions but also adequate follow-up for response evaluation and management of complications. It is crucial, however, to apply recent molecular findings and implement clinical guidelines as soon as possible in order to maximize therapeutic gains and improve patient prognosis.

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is greatly affected by prostate cancer (PCa) and associated treatments. This study aimed to measure the impact of radiotherapy on HRQoL and to further validate the Spanish version of the 16-item Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC-16) in routine clinical practice.Methods: An observational, non-interventional, multicenter study was conducted in Spain with localized PCa patients initiating treatment with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) or brachytherapy (BQT). Changes from baseline in EPIC-16, University of California-Los Angeles Prostate Cancer Index (UCLA-PCI), and patient-perceived health status were longitudinally assessed at end of radiotherapy (V2) and 90 days thereafter (V3). Psychometric evaluations of the Spanish EPIC-16 were conducted.Results: Of 516 patients enrolled, 495 were included in the analysis (EBRT, n = 361; BQT, n = 134). At baseline, mean (standard deviation [SD]) EPIC-16 global scores were 11.9 (7.5) and 10.3 (7.7) for EBRT and BQT patients, respectively; scores increased, i.e., HRQoL worsened, from baseline, by mean (SD) of 6.8 (7.6) at V2 and 2.4 (7.4) at V3 for EBRT and 4.2 (7.6) and 3.9 (8.2) for BQT patients. Changes in Spanish EPIC-16 domains correlated well with urinary, bowel, and sexual UCLA-PCI domains. EPIC-16 showed good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = .84), reliability, and construct validity.Conclusion: EPIC-16 scores worsened after radiotherapy in different HRQoL domains, regardless of patient-perceived health status. UCLA-PCI scores mostly recovered for EBRT patients at V3, while scores for BQT patients did not. The Spanish EPIC-16 questionnaire demonstrated sensitivity, strong discriminative properties and reliability, and validity for use in clinical practice.

Purpose/Objective(s) The optimal duration of androgen deprivation (AD) combined with high-dose radiotherapy (HDRT) in prostate cancer remains a matter of controversy. We did a phase 3 trial designed to determine whether long-term AD (LTAD) is superior to short-term AD (STAD) when combined with HDRT. In this report, we present the 10-year survival results. The hypothesis is that long-term AD (LTAD) compared to short-term AD (STAD) improves overall survival among high-risk patients receiving HDRT. Materials/Methods This open-label, phase 3 randomized controlled trial, recruited patients from ten university hospitals throughout Spain. Eligibility included patients with cT1c-T3aN0M0 adenocarcinoma of prostate with intermediate and high-risk factors according to NCCN criteria and PSA less than 100 ng/ml. All patients received 4 months of neoadjuvant and concomitant AD (STAD) + HDRT (median radiation dose 78 Gy) before randomization to adjuvant goserelin for two years (LTAD). Stratification was performed according to risk group (intermediate risk [IR] versus high risk [HR]). Study endpoints included overall survival (OS), metastasis free survival (MFS), disease free survival (DFS) and biochemical-disease free survival (bDFS). Survival analyses were done with Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves. Fine & Gray (FG FG FG F&G P = 0.057, HR, 1.12, 95% CI, 0.46 to 2.73). Only 11 patients died from PCa, all of them in the high-risk subgroup. Conclusion Long term results failed to show a significant benefit with LTAD compared to STAD in patients treated with HDRT. The subgroup of patients with high-risk PCa treated with LTAD had a non-significant improvement in bDFS, MFS and OS compared with STAD. The relatively small simple size, a low number of events and an effective salvage treatment could be responsible for the lack of a statistical significance. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT 02175212.

Aim To analyze the effect of radiotherapy (RT) in patients with metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) and poor prognosis in our center. Background RT is an effective treatment for MSCC. Materials and methods Prospective evaluation on patients with MSCC and limited survival (according to Rades’ scale), and treated with single-dose 8 Gy RT (February 2013–August 2014). Pain, ambulatory status and sphincter control were recorded. Pain relief was evaluated following the International Bone Metastases Consensus Working Party Guidelines. Ambulatory status was evaluated with Frankel's scale. Spinal fracture and instability were recorded. Health aspects were evaluated via a short survey and measuring the time spent on RT. Results 35 patients were included. 51% had unfavorable histologies; 60% bone fracture and 17% spinal instability. Median Karnofsky score was 60; 100% were on high doses of opioids. Median survival was 1.5 months. 49% had a partial pain response at 2 weeks post-radiation, and 47% at one month. Significant reductions in pain intensity were present at 2 weeks (Visual analog scale, VAS score, from 8 ± 1.5 to 5 ± 1.9). Negligible effects were observed on motor and bladder function, along with side effects. KPS score was maintained during follow-up. 80% of patients spent ≤5% of their remaining lifetime on RT. A survey comparison between clinical judgment and the results according to treatment decision consider that these patients merit treatment evaluation. Conclusions A moderate pain response tailored to life expectancy can be obtained in patients treated with radiation. 8-Gy single-dose is an option for patients with limited survival.

Càncer de pròstata resistent a la castració; Oncologia de les radiacions; Consens Cáncer de próstata resistente a la castración; Oncología radioterápica; Consenso Castration-resistant prostate cancer; Radiation oncology; Consensus Background: The knowledge in the field of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is developing rapidly, with emerging new therapies and advances in imaging. Nonetheless, in multiple areas there is still a lack of or very limited evidence, and clear guidance from clinicians regarding optimal strategy is required. Methods: A modified Delphi method, with 116 relevant questions divided into 7 different CRPC management topics, was used to develop a consensus statement by the URONCOR group. Results: A strong consensus or unanimity was reached on 93% of the proposed questions. The seven topics addressed were: CRPC definition, symptomatic patients, diagnosis of metastasis, CRPC progression, M0 management, M1 management and sequencing therapy, and treatment monitoring. Conclusions: The recommendations based on the radiation oncology experts' opinions are intended to provide cancer specialists with expert guidance and to standardise CRPC patient management in Spain, facilitating decision-making in different clinically relevant issues regarding CRPC patients.

5000 Background: Historically, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) was the standard of care (SOC) for men with mCSPC. Since 2015, combining ADT with either docetaxel, novel hormonal therapies, or radiotherapy to the primary tumor (RXT) (for those with low burden metastases) was shown to improve overall survival (OS) and thus has become the new SOC. It is unknown whether combining these new treatments on top of ADT further increments outcomes. Methods: Men with de novo mCSPC were randomized to SOC, SOC + abiraterone acetate-prednisone (abiraterone), SOC + RXT, or SOC + abiraterone + RXT. SOC was initially ADT alone, then from Oct 2015 onwards the use of docetaxel was authorized as part of SOC (at the investigator’s discretion until 2017, then, following the publication of the LATITUDE and STAMPEDE trials, accrual was restricted to men receiving ADT+docetaxel). The trial has two co-primary endpoints of radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) and OS with type I error of 0.1% and 4.9%, respectively. The required number of rPFS events to achieve 80% power has been reached for the abiraterone question (not yet for the RXT question). The interaction between abiraterone and RXT was first tested using a Cox model adjusted for stratification factors (performance status, type of castration, metastatic burden, and when applicable, docetaxel). A hierarchical testing was used to test the effect of abiraterone: overall population, then ADT+docetaxel population. Results: From Nov 2013 to Dec 2018, 1173 men were enrolled (SOC was ADT+docetaxel in 710 pts and ADT alone in 463 pts), median age 67y (IQR: 60-72), high volume 57%, low volume 43%. The median follow-up is 3.5y. No interaction was detected between the effect of abiraterone and that of RXT (p = 0.64), allowing to pool abiraterone arms for comparisons. rPFS was significantly improved in the abiraterone arm in the overall population (HR: 0.54 (0.46-0.64), p < 0.0001; medians: 2.2 vs 4.5 years) and in the ADT+docetaxel population: (HR: 0.50 (0.40-0.62), p < 0.0001; medians: 2.0 vs 4.5 years). bPFS (PFS including PSA progression as an event) also significantly favored abiraterone in the overall population (HR: 0.40 (0.35-0.47), p < 0.0001; medians: 1.5 vs 3.8 years) and in the ADT+docetaxel population (HR: 0.38 (0.31-0.47), p < 0.0001; medians: 1.5 vs 3.2 years). OS is maturing. Grade 3-4 adverse events reported in > 5% of pts within the first 6 months in the ADT+docetaxel population included neutropenic fever (4.5% vs 5.4%), liver toxicity (19.7% vs 13%), and hypertension (12.2% vs 8.6%) in the abiraterone and control arms, respectively. Conclusion: Adding abiraterone to ADT + docetaxel significantly improves rPFS in men with de novo metastatic prostate cancer, with about 2.5 years of absolute benefit in medians, and no meaningful additional short-term toxicity. Clinical trial information: NCT01957436.

BACKGROUND The optimal degree of testosterone suppression in patients with prostate cancer undergoing androgen deprivation therapy remains in question. Furthermore, serum free testosterone, which is the active form of testosterone, seems to correlate with intraprostatic testosterone. Here we compared free and total serum testosterone as predictors of survival free of castration resistance. METHODS Total testosterone (chemiluminescent assay, lower sensitivity 10 ng/dl) and free testosterone (analogue-ligand radioimmunoassay, lower sensitivity 0.05 pg/ml) were determined at 6 months of LHRH agonist treatment in a prospective cohort of 126 patients with prostate cancer. During a mean follow-up of 67 months (9–120), 75 (59.5%) events of castration-resistant progression were identified. Multivariate analysis and survival analysis according to total testosterone cutoffs of 50, 32, and 20 ng/dl, and free testosterone cutoffs of 1.7, 1.1, and 0.7 pg/ml were performed. RESULTS Metastatic spread was the most powerful predictor of castration resistance, HR: 2.09 (95%CI: 1.18–3.72), P = 0.012. Gleason score, baseline PSA and PSA at 6 months were also independents predictors, but not free and total testosterone. Stratified analysis was conducted on the basis of the status of metastatic diseases and free testosterone was found to be an independent predictor of survival free of castration resistance in the subgroup of patients without metastasis, HR: 2.12 (95%CI: 1.16–3.85), P = 0.014. The lowest threshold of free testosterone which showed significant differences was 1.7 pg/ml, P = 0.003. CONCLUSIONS Free testosterone at 6 months of LHRH agonist treatment seems to be a better surrogate than total testosterone to predict castration resistance in no metastatic prostate cancer patients. Prostate 77:114–120, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Resumen Objetivos Determinar la influencia de la prostatectomia radical (PR) y de la radioterapia externa (RT) sobre el eje hipotalamo-hipofisario de 120 pacientes con cancer de prostata clinicamente localizado tratados con PR o RT exclusiva. Material y metodos Estudiamos 120 pacientes con cancer de prostata localizado. Noventa y dos pacientes recibieron PR y 28 RT exclusiva. Medimos los niveles sericos de hormona luteinizante, hormona foliculo estimulante (FSH), testosterona total (T), testosterona libre y estradiol basalmente y a los 3 y 12 meses tras completar el tratamiento. Resultados Los pacientes sometidos a PR eran mas jovenes y presentaban mayor volumen prostatico (64,3 vs. 71,1 anos, p Conclusiones El tratamiento del cancer de prostata influye en el eje hipotalamo-hipofisario. La influencia parece mas importante en los pacientes tratados con RT. Necesitamos mas estudios que eluciden el papel que la prostata puede jugar como organo endocrino.

The Vall d’Hebron multidisciplinary prostate cancer (PC) team reviews recent advances in the management of this neoplasm. Screening studies with long follow-up show a reduction in mortality, whereas active surveillance is emerging as a therapeutic approach of non-aggressive cancers. New markers increase the specificity of PSA and also allow targeting suspected aggressive cancers. Multiparametric magnetic resonance (mMRI) has emerged as the most effective method in the selection of patients for biopsy and also for local tumor staging. The paradigm of random prostatic biopsy is changing through the fusion techniques that allow guiding ultrasonography-driven biopsy of suspicious areas detected in mMRI. Radical prostatectomy (RP) and radiotherapy (RT) are curative treatments of localized PC and both have experienced significant technological improvements. RP is highly effective and the incorporation of robotic surgery is reducing morbidity. Modern RT allows the possibility of high tumor dose with minimal adjacent dose reducing its toxicity. Androgen deprivation therapy with LHRH analogues remains the treatment of choice for advanced PC, but should be limited to this indication. The loss of bone mass and adverse metabolic effects increases the frequency of fractures and cardiovascular morbimortality. After castration resistance in metastatic disease, new hormone-based drugs have demonstrated efficacy even after chemotherapy resistance.

The role of seizures and antiepileptic treatments associated with glioblastoma is a current topic of discussion. The objective of this study is to characterize and establish implications of epilepsy associated with glioblastoma.We retrospectively analyzed the medical history, focused on epileptic features of 134 histologically diagnosed glioblastoma over a period of 4 years.The sample group had an average age of 56 years and 66% were male. Complete tumor resection was performed in 66% and 64.2% received further radio-oncologic treatment. The average survival rate was 12.4 months and 11.5% survived to 5 years. Epileptic seizures were the presentation symptom in 27% of cases and 51% suffered seizures during the disease, 26% become drug-resistant. Focal evolving to a bilateral convulsive seizures were the most frequent type. Epileptic seizures at presentation independently predicted longer survival (p0.001). Furthermore, a history of epilepsy or seizures during disease improved survival. Late onset seizures, recurrences or status epilepticus during the course of the disease indicated tumor progression or the final stages of life. Prophylactic antiepileptic drugs did not prevent seizures. Similarly, there was no difference in survival between patients who did not use antiepileptic drugs and those using valproate or levetiracetam. Patients under 60 years, full oncologic treatment and secondary glioblastomas were factors that improved survival (p0.001).Previous history of epilepsy or the onset of seizures as a presentation symptom in glioblastomas predict longer survival. Half of patients have seizures during the course of the disease. Antiepileptic drugs alone do not increase survival in glioblastoma patients.

Therapeutic options for metastatic bladder cancer (BC) have seen minimal evolution over the past 30 years, with platinum-based chemotherapy remaining the mainstay of standard of care for metastatic BC. Recently, five immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been approved by the FDA as second-line therapy, and two ICIs are approved as first-line treatment in selected patients. Molecular alterations of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) have been reported by The Cancer Genome Atlas. About 15% of patients with MIBC have molecular alterations in the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) axis. Several ongoing trials are testing novel FGF receptor (FGFR) inhibitors in patients with FGFR genomic aberrations. Recently, erdafitinib, a pan-FGFR inhibitor, was approved by the FDA in patients with metastatic BC who have progressed on platinum-based chemotherapy. We reviewed the literature over the last decade and provide a summary of current knowledge of FGF signaling, and the prognosis associated with FGFR mutations in BC. We cover the role of FGFR inhibition with non-selective and selective tyrosine kinase inhibitors as well as novel agents in metastatic BC. Efficacy and safety data including insights from mechanism-based toxicity are reported for selected populations of metastatic BC with FGFR aberrations. Current strategies to managing resistance to anti-FGFR agents is addressed, and the importance of developing reliable biomarkers as the therapeutic landscape moves towards an individualized therapeutic approach.

496 Background: There is a growing interest in local treatment for metastatic solid tumors. Recently, retrospective studies have reported the potential benefit of RLT to primary bladder cancer in pts with metastatic disease. We tested the impact of previous RLT in pts with mUC treated with ICI. Methods: Data from pts with mUC treated with ICI collected between May 2013 and May 2019 using a multi-institutional database was evaluated. Stratification was made according to previous RLT with ICI versus no RLT with ICI. We defined RLT as radical surgery (RS) or ≥50 Gy of radiotherapy (RT) delivered to the bladder. The X2 test was used to determine differences in rates. Overall survival (OS) between previous RLT plus ICI (group A) versus no RLT plus ICI (group B) generated using Kaplan-Meier method was compared by log-rank test. OS was calculated from the date of initiation of ICI to the date of death. Analyses were performed using SPSS v21. Results: A total of 115 pts with mUC were treated with ICI, 62 (53.9%) previously were treated with RS, 7(6.1%) RT and 46 (40%) no received RLT. ICI prescribed were atezolizumab (55.7%), pembrolizumab (16.5%), durvalumab (11.3%), durvalumab/tremelimumab (7.8%), nivolumab (5.2%) and avelumab (3.5%). The disease control rate (CR [6.9%] +PR [9.6%] +SD [14.1%]) was higher for pts with previous RLT compared to those pts who did not receive RLT (CR [3.2%] + PR [5.8%] + SD [6.4%](P=0.325). Median OS was 11.23 mo (95% CI; 6.02-16.44) and 7.95 mo (95%IC; 5.15-10.75) for group A and group B, respectively (P=0.481). Conclusions: This multicenter cohort suggests that previous RLT might play an impact for control disease in pts with mUC treated with ICI. Although this is hypothesis generating, the true value of this approach remains to be demonstrated in prospective studies.

Serum testosterone measurement is recommended to assess the efficacy of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and to diagnose castration resistance in patients with prostate cancer (PCa). Currently, the accepted castrate level of serum testosterone is 50 ng/dL. Liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC MSMS) is the appropriate method to measure testosterone, especially at low levels. However, worldwide, chemiluminescent assays (CLIAs) are used in clinical laboratories, despite their lack of accuracy and reproducibility, because they are automatable, fast, sensitive, and inexpensive.We compared serum testosterone levels measured using LC MSMS and CLIAs in 126 patients with PCa undergoing luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist therapy.The median serum testosterone level was 14.0 ng/dL (range, 2.0-67.0 ng/dL) with LC MSMS and 31.9 ng/dL (range, 10.0-91.6 ng/dL) with CLIA (P .001). The serum testosterone levels, measured using LC MSMS, were 20 ng/dL in 83 patients (65.9%), 20 to 50 ng/dL in 40 (31.7%), and50 ng/dL in 3 patients (2.4%). These ranges were found in 34 (27%), 72 (57.1%), and 20 (15.9%) patients when testosterone was measured using CLIA (P .001). The castrate level of serum testosterone using LC MSMS and CLIA was 39.8 ng/dL (95% confidence interval [CI], 37.1-43.4 ng/dL) and 66.5 ng/dL (95% CI, 62.3-71.2 ng/dL), respectively.We found that CLIA overestimated the testosterone levels in PCa patients undergoing LHRH agonist therapy. Thus, the castration level was incorrectly considered inadequate with CLIA in almost 15% of patients. The true castration level of serum testosterone using an appropriate method is 50 ng/dL.

4531 Background: Immune-checkpoints inhibitors (ICIs) represents the standard of care for platinum-pretreated advanced urothelial cancer patients (pts). By enhancing T-cell activation, a unique spectrum of inflammatory side effects has emerged, also known as immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Data regarding the association between irAEs and pts outcomes are conflicting. Here we conducted a retrospective analysis to investigate the association between irAEs profile and disease outcome in metastastic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) pts. Methods: Medical records from pts with mUC included in clinical trials between July 2013 and June 2018 and treated with ICIs were reviewed. Pts previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy or cisplatin ineligible pts who had not been previously treated with chemotherapy were included. Clinical responses were assessed as complete response (CR), partial response (PR), stable disease (SD), and progressive disease (PD) according to RECIST v1.1. Adverse events were graded based CTCAE v4.03. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from the date of initiation of ICI to the date of death. X2 test was used to determine differences in rates. OS was estimated using Kaplan-Method and long rank test was used to assess differences between groups. All analyses were performed using SPSS v21. Results: From a total of 52 pts, 44 (84.6%) were treated with ICI monotherapy and 8 (15.3%) in combination (anti-CTLA4 or targeted therapy). Median age was 65 years, 42 pts (80.8%) were male, 44 patients (84.6%) had ECOG PS 0-1, 14 pts (26.9%) had liver metastasis. Overall irAEs were observed in 30 pts (57.7%) and 10 pts (19.2%) developed grade 3/4 irAES. Most common grade 3/4 irAEs were diarrhea (6.6%), rash (6.6%) and hepatitis (6.6%). Disease control rate (CR [26%]+PR[33%]+SD[20%]) was higher for patients with irAEs compared to those patients who did not developed irAEs (CR [13.6%]+PR[0%]+SD[22.7%], this difference was statically significant (P = 0.002). Median OS was 11.23 mo (CI 95%, 3.76-18.70) for the overall cohort, while median OS was 21.91 mo for those patients with irAEs compared to 6.47 mo in patients who did not developed irAEs (P = 0.004). Conclusions: In this analysis we found that the development of irAEs was a strong predictor of improved OS in mUC patients treated with ICI.

To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of docetaxel regimen as second-line after failure of a platinum-based chemotherapy.Between May 2005 and June 2008, we retrospectively analyzed the data of 22 patients who had evidence of disease progression after one prior platinum-based regimen for metastatic urothelial carcinoma. Patients were treated with two different docetaxel dose schedules: (1) docetaxel 60 mg/m(2) every 21 days for unfit patients or (2) docetaxel 75 mg/m(2) every 21 days for fit patients.Median number of docetaxel cycles was three. Overall disease control rate was 18 %. Of the 22 patients, no patient achieved complete or partial response and four patients had stable disease. Median progression-free survival was 1.67 months and median overall survival was 3.12 months. Neutropenia was the most common adverse event.This study identifies that docetaxel as second-line chemotherapy has low activity and was associated with significant toxicity.

Initial therapy for metastatic prostate cancer consists of androgenic suppression. However, this is only a palliative treatment with an effective duration that usually lasts 12-24 months. Historically, castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) had been considered a chemoresistant tumour. In 2004, docetaxel received USA Food and Drug Administration approval as a first-line treatment for metastatic prostate cancer, after two independent phase III trials showed an increased survival benefit. Recently, five new drugs have shown increased survival in CRPC: sipuleucel-T (assymptomatic or minimally symptomatic), abiraterone acetate (before and after docetaxel), cabazitaxel (after docetaxel), MDV3100 (after docetaxel) and radium-223 (not suitable for docetaxel or after docetaxel). The identification of antigens in normal prostate tissue or prostate cancer that are recognised by immune effectors cells has resulted in several new studies based on immunotherapy. Prostate cancer disease provides a test system to determine the efficacy of vaccines for different reasons. This cancer is a tumour that grows relatively slowly. Recurrence is often diagnosed early (with many patients presenting only with biochemical progression), there is a biological marker that can predict prognosis and outcome (PSA doubling time), various specific antigens have been identified and characterised, and vaccines can be used with a good safety profile combined with anti-androgen therapy, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy. Here we provide a review of the main important immune treatments in CRPC.

We compared biochemical control and quality of life with intermittent (6 months) versus continuous (36 months) androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in a non-inferiority randomized phase 3 trial in patients with biochemical failure (BF) after external beam radical radiotherapy (EBRT). Patients were stratified according to the Gleason score (GS) and were classified as low risk with a GS < 6 and 7 (3 + 4) and high risk with a GS of 7 (4 + 3) and > 7. Patients were followed with PSA determinations and quality-of-life assessments (QLQ C-30 and QLQ PR-25) every 6 months for a period of 3 years. BF after radiation was defined as a PSA level of nadir +2 ng/ml. Disease progression (DP) after ADT was defined as PSA >4 ng/ml (BF) and/or metastases. Seventy-seven patients were included in this multicenter phase 3 trial from 2005 to 2009. Thirty-eight and 39 patients were included in the intermittent and continuous groups, respectively. The median follow-up for both groups was 48 months (40-68). DP after ADT in the intermittent group was seen in three patients (distant metastases in one patient) versus 0 in the continuous group. The QLQ-C30 and QLQ PR-25 scores did not show any statistically difference between the two ADT groups. No significant differences were seen in DP and QLQ between intermittent (6 months) and continuous (36 months) ADT in patients with BF after EBRT.

Bladder cancer is one of the leading causes of death in Europe and the United States. About 25% of patients with bladder cancer have advanced disease (muscle-invasive or metastatic disease) at presentation and are candidates for systemic chemotherapy. In the setting of metastatic disease, use of cisplatin-based regimens improves survival. However, despite initial high response rates, the responses are typically not durable leading to recurrence and death in the vast majority of these patients with median overall survival of 15months and a 5-year survival rate of ⩽10%. Furthermore, unfit patients for cisplatin have no standard of care for first line therapy in advance disease Most second-line chemotherapeutic agents tested have been disappointing. Newer targeted drugs and immunotherapies are being studied in the metastatic setting, their usefulness in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings is also an intriguing area of ongoing research. Thus, new treatment strategies are clearly needed. The comprehensive evaluation of multiple molecular pathways characterized by The Cancer Genome Atlas project has shed light on potential therapeutic targets for bladder urothelial carcinomas. We have focused especially on emerging therapies in locally advanced and metastatic urothelial carcinoma with an emphasis on immune checkpoints inhibitors and FGFR targeted therapies, which have shown great promise in early clinical studies.

To determine the influence of radical prostatectomy (RP) and external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) on the hypothalamic pituitary axis of 120 men with clinically localized prostate cancer treated with RP or EBRT exclusively.120 patients with localized prostate cancer were enrolled. Ninety two patients underwent RP and 28 patients EBRT exclusively. We measured serum levels of luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), total testosterone (T), free testosterone, and estradiol at baseline and at 3 and 12 months after treatment completion.Patients undergoing RP were younger and presented a higher prostate volume (64.3 vs. 71.1 years, p0.0001 and 55.1 vs. 36.5 g, p0.0001; respectively). No differences regarding serum hormonal levels were found at baseline. Luteinizing hormone and FSH levels were significantly higher in those patients treated with EBRT at three months (luteinizing hormone 8,54 vs. 4,76 U/l, FSH 22,96 vs. 8,18 U/l, p0,0001) while T and free testosterone levels were significantly lower (T 360,3 vs. 414,83ng/dl, p 0,039; free testosterone 5,94 vs. 7,5pg/ml, p 0,018). At 12 months FSH levels remained significantly higher in patients treated with EBRT compared to patients treated with RP (21,01 vs. 8,51 U/l, p0,001) while T levels remained significantly lower (339,89 vs. 402,39ng/dl, p 0,03).Prostate cancer treatment influences the hypothalamic pituitary axis. This influence seems to be more important when patients with prostate cancer are treated with EBRT rather than RP. More studies are needed to elucidate the role that prostate may play as an endocrine organ.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.rpor.2015.04.003.].

What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add? Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogues are a cornerstone in the management of many clinical situations in prostate cancer patients. The multiplicity of drugs make it difficult to decide which is the best drug to prescribe to each patient. Whether or not the different luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogues belong to the same drug class is only merely supposed. This study adds a systematic review of the literature in order to determine whether or not the luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogues available for prescription belong to the same drug class (same family, similar chemical structure, mechanism of action, and efficacy). The current evidence available is not enough to support a presumed drug class effect of the various analogues in the treatment of prostate carcinoma. OBJECTIVE • To study whether luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) analogues are agents of the same pharmacological class, i.e. whether they have the same clinical effect, using an evidence-based medicine approach. MATERIAL AND METHODS • We reviewed the evidence on the alleged ‘drug class effect’ among analogues and the existing bibliographic support for their use in various medical indications. We used PubMed as the main search source. Evidence level and degree of recommendation were assigned to each conclusion based on the ‘Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network’. RESULTS • There are no studies designed to answer the question of class effect between LHRH analogues or agonists. Reviews and meta-analyses have been performed on many other issues related to therapeutic management either with analogues alone, or in combination with radiation therapy and surgery. • Direct comparisons do not allow definitive conclusions to be reached. Indirect evidence is obtained from randomized studies comparing the different LHRH analogues with other treatments used to obtain androgen deprivation. Other issues related to pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics that can support either the existence or non-existence of class effect were evaluated. CONCLUSION • The current available evidence is not enough to support a presumed class effect of the drug among the different analogues in the treatment of prostate carcinoma in its various clinical situations.

Background The incidence of testicular germ cell tumours (TGCT) is increasing and the improvement in survival may lead to an increased incidence of bilateral tumours. We examined the incidence, prognosis, clinical and histological characteristics, treatment and outcome of patients with bilateral TGCTs based on 15 years of experience from a single institution. Material and methods We reviewed the charts from all patients treated for a testicular tumour germ cell at Hospital Vall d'Hebron in Barcelona, Spain. The information was retrospectively obtained from the patients' hospital. All the patients were evaluated with clinical history, physical exam, serum markers (alphaFP, LDH and betahCG), ultrasonographic evaluation of the testicles, computed tomography (CT) scans of the chest, abdomen and pelvis, surgery, location and histology of first and second tumour, treatment after the surgery and follow-up. Results Of 151 patients with TGCT, 8 (5.3%) developed bilateral tumours, seven (4.6%) were metachronous and one (0.7%) synchronous tumours. Two patients underwent testis-sparing surgery for the second tumour. All the patients are alive without evidence of disease based on physical exam, tumour markers and CT scan. Conclusions Survival in patients with bilateral testicular germ cell tumours (BTGCT) is similar to that of patients with unilateral TGCT. There is no standard therapy to treat BTGCT and each patient requires a tailored therapeutic treatment.

To define usual clinical management of prostate cancer (PCa) patients following postoperative radiation therapy (RT) (adjuvant or salvage) and its evolution over time in radiation oncology (RO) departments in Spain. An epidemiological, cross-sectional, multicentre study was conducted. 567 PCa patients that had undergone radical prostatectomy (RP) and received postoperative RT between February and December of both 2006 and 2011 participated in the study. In patients from 2006, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed using the EPIC questionnaire. Investigators completed a specific survey on two clinical cases of adjuvant and salvage RT. 70.6 % of patients received salvage RT versus 29.4 % who received adjuvant RT; no significant differences were found in terms of frequency for each procedure between both the years. Regarding the survey, a positive surgical margin was the main criteria used in adjuvant RT decision making. In terms of salvage RT scenario, 85.7 % of the investigators stated that adjuvant RT should have been offered instead, 81.4 % of the investigators agreed on a PSA score >0.2 ng/mL as the main criteria for identifying biochemical recurrence after RP, and 67.4 % of investigators did not consider any PSA score for ruling out salvage RT treatment. Most patients are referred to RO departments to receive salvage RT. Despite the publication of three IA evidence level randomized clinical trials, the patterns for using adjuvant and salvage RT did not change from 2006 to 2011, although patients’ profile did. A consensus regarding postoperative RT indications should be reached in order to correct this controversial situation.

Summary Background The optimum duration of androgen deprivation combined with high-dose radiotherapy in prostate cancer remains undefined. We aimed to determine whether long-term androgen deprivation was superior to short-term androgen deprivation when combined with high-dose radiotherapy. Methods In this open-label, multicentre, phase 3 randomised controlled trial, patients were recruited from ten university hospitals throughout Spain. Eligible patients had clinical stage T1c–T3b N0M0 prostate adenocarcinoma with intermediate-risk and high-risk factors according to 2005 National Comprehensive Cancer Network criteria. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) using a computer-generated randomisation schedule to receive either 4 months of androgen deprivation combined with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy at a minimum dose of 76 Gy (range 76–82 Gy; short-term androgen deprivation group) or the same treatment followed by 24 months of adjuvant androgen deprivation (long-term androgen deprivation group), stratified by prostate cancer risk group (intermediate risk vs high risk) and participating centre. Patients assigned to the short-term androgen deprivation group received 4 months of neoadjuvant and concomitant androgen deprivation with subcutaneous goserelin (2 months before and 2 months combined with high-dose radiotherapy). Anti-androgen therapy (flutamide 750 mg per day or bicalutamide 50 mg per day) was added during the first 2 months of treatment. Patients assigned to long-term suppression continued with the same luteinising hormone-releasing hormone analogue every 3 months for another 24 months. The primary endpoint was biochemical disease-free survival. Analysis was by intention to treat. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02175212. Findings Between Nov 7, 2005, and Dec 20, 2010, 178 patients were randomly assigned to receive short-term androgen deprivation and 177 to receive long-term androgen deprivation. After a median follow-up of 63 months (IQR 50–82), 5-year biochemical disease-free survival was significantly better among patients receiving long-term androgen deprivation than among those receiving short-term treatment (90% [95% CI 87–92] vs 81% [78–85]; hazard ratio [HR] 1·88 [95% CI 1·12–3·15]; p=0·01). 5-year overall survival (95% [95% CI 93–97] vs 86% [83–89]; HR 2·48 [95% CI 1·31–4·68]; p=0·009) and 5-year metastasis-free survival (94% [95% CI 92–96] vs 83% [80–86]; HR 2·31 [95% CI 1·23–3·85]; p=0·01) were also significantly better in the long-term androgen deprivation group than in the short-term androgen deprivation group. The effect of long-term androgen deprivation on biochemical disease-free survival, metastasis-free survival, and overall survival was more evident in patients with high-risk disease than in those with low-risk disease. Grade 3 late rectal toxicity was noted in three (2%) of 177 patients in the long-term androgen deprivation group and two (1%) of 178 in the short-term androgen deprivation group; grade 3–4 late urinary toxicity was noted in five (3%) patients in each group. No deaths related to treatment were reported. Interpretation Compared with short-term androgen deprivation, 2 years of adjuvant androgen deprivation combined with high-dose radiotherapy improved biochemical control and overall survival in patients with prostate cancer, particularly those with high-risk disease, with no increase in late radiation toxicity. Longer follow-up is needed to determine whether men with intermediate-risk disease benefit from more than 4 months of androgen deprivation. Funding Spanish National Health Investigation Fund, AstraZeneca.

The aim of this study was to establish the value of thalium-(201) single-photon emission computed tomography ((201)Tl-SPECT) in the detection of recurrences in the follow-up of patients with treated primary neuroepithelial tumours.Sixty-three (201)Tl-SPECT were performed in 36 patients with glioma (12 males, mean age of 46 +/- 13 years). All patients underwent surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy (and some of them received chemotherapy). All patients were submitted to morphological neuroimaging techniques as well (and (201) Tl-SPECT). Mean follow-up was 18.3 +/- 14.6 months. Gold standard was based on clinical follow-up, therapeutical decisions (at least 4 months after (201)Tl-SPECT) and imaging features.Sensitivity and specificity of (201)Tl-SPECT to detect glioma recurrences were 90% and 100% respectively and 93% accuracy. Sensitivity and specificity for high grade tumours, were 100% respectively. Due to 4 false negatives, sensitivity and specificity for low grade gliomas were 78% and 100%. In the positive (201)Tl-SPECT group of patients overall survival was 13.64% at the end of the study. The negative (201)Tl-SPECT group had 84.62% overall survival at the end of the study (p = 0.0003). CONCLUSIONS. (201)Tl-SPECT is a valuable and noninvasive diagnostic procedure to detect recurrence or progression disease for treated gliomas and ependymomas. (201)Tl-SPECT has a good correlation with short term prognosis with excellent diagnostic accuracy.

Recent reports of an association between androgen deprivation treatment (ADT) and increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) events have generated debate on the use of ADT in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) and CV comorbidities. This study aims to describe the recommendations of radiation oncologists in the most controversial aspects of treating such patients. The project involved 61 oncologists and comprised 4 phases: (1) selection of the most controversial aspects in the administration of ADT in patients with a history of CV disease and PCa, (2) selection of the most relevant published evidence, (3) preparation of case reports, (4) critical reading and discussion. Therapeutic procedures were classified as “highly recommendable”, “recommendable in some cases”, or “not recommendable/not applicable”. For each item assessed, the mode of the scores given, and the percentage of experts who selected each score were calculated. The panel recommended that patients with high/very high-risk PCa and a history of CV disease should receive gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa). ADT with GnRHa for 24–36 months + radiotherapy (RT) was also considered highly recommendable. In intermediate-risk PCa and a history of CV, ADT with GnRHa for 6–8 months + RT, and not administering ADT were considered highly recommendable. Studies are necessary to investigate the impact of ADT on CV mortality in patients who benefit most from adjuvant ADT in terms of survival. In the meantime, the experts believe that clinical evidence on the proven therapeutic benefits of ADT should override concerns about potential cardiac toxicity.

The purpose of the study was to describe infrastructures, treatment modalities, and workload in radiation oncology (RO) in Spain, referred particularly to prostate cancer (PC). An epidemiologic, cross-sectional study was performed during 2008-2009. A study-specific questionnaire was sent to the 108 RO-registered departments. One hundred and two departments answered the survey, and six were contacted by telephone. Centers operated 236 treatment units: 23 (9.7 %) cobalt machines, 37 (15.7 %) mono-energetic linear accelerators, and 176 (74.6 %) multi-energy linear accelerators. Sixty-one (56.4 %) and 33 (30.5 %) departments, respectively, reported intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and image-guided RT (IGRT) capabilities; three-dimensional-conformal RT was used in 75.8 % of patients. Virtual simulators were present in 95 departments (88.0 %), 35 use conventional simulators. Fifty-one departments (47.2 %) have brachytherapy units, 38 (35.2 %) perform prostatic implants. Departments saw a mean of 24.9 new patients/week; the number of patients treated annually was 102,054, corresponding to 88.4 % of patients with a RT indication. In 56.5 % of the hospitals, multidisciplinary teams were available to treat PC. Results provide an accurate picture of current situation of RO in Spain, showing a trend toward the progressive introduction of new technologies (IMRT, IGRT, brachytherapy).

Purpose: 3'Phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 31 P-MRS) provides biochemical information in a noninvasive way. The aim of this work was: (a) to characterize the 31 P spectrum of advanced head and neck tumors, and (b) to evaluate the spectral changes after treatment and to correlate them with the pathologic response. Methods and Materials: A total of 20 patients diagnosed with advanced head and neck tumors and 7 healthy controls participated in the study. The tumor mass and its contralateral side were studied by means of 31 P-MRS before and after treatment. Neck muscles of a control group were also studied. Results: Tumors presented ratios of phosphomonoesters (PME), phosphodiesters (PDE), and inorganic phosphate (Pi) with respect to the adenosine triphosphate (ATP), significantly higher and a PCr (phosphocreatine)/ ATP ratio lower than the neck muscle of volunteers or the contralateral side. The PDE/ATP and PME/ATP ratio values obtained before therapy were similar, independent of the later response to treatment. However, when there was a complete response, the ratios measured after treatment were decreased. Conclusion: These results show the existence of significant differences between the 31 phosphorus spectrum of tumors and neck muscle, but also between the tumors and their contralateral sides. Moreover, 31 P-MRS is able to detect metabolic changes after a complete response. These results suggest that 3'P-MRS would be useful in the evaluation of the clinical response of head and neck tumors.

Combined chemoradiotherapy (CT/RT) treatments appear to yield better results for advanced tumours of the head and neck than do conventional therapies. In the present study, CT/RT was used preoperatively in unresectable tumors of the oral cavity and oropharynx. Forty patients were entered prospectively into a phase II study. Treatment consisted of three cycles of chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-day infusion of fluorouracil (FU), and the addition of simultaneous radiotherapy (30 Gy) from the second to third cycles. Patients with resectable residual disease or complete clinical response underwent surgery. All patients later received a second phase of irradiation (30 Gy) and two cycles of chemotherapy only in responders. During the first phase of treatment, 22 (55%) patients presented mucositis grades III-IV. Mean weight loss was 7%. Twelve patients were admitted for parenteral nutrition. Thirty-six (90%) patients obtained clinical response, which was complete in 15 (37%). Thirty-two of the 40 underwent surgery. The percentage of pathologic complete responses (PCR) was 35% (14 patients). With a median follow-up of 21 months, the median survival of patients was 23 months, and 19 (47%) of them are disease-free. A high PCR rate was attained with this treatment regimen. Toxicity was significant, but tolerable with adequate support measures.

The purpose of this phase II study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of fluorouracil and high-dose leucovorin (5-FU/LV) with pelvic irradiation as adjuvant therapy for patients with macroscopical resected rectal or recto-sigmoid cancer. Following surgery for stages II-III primary (52) or recurrent rectal cancer (4), 56 patients received 8 cycles of 5-FU/LV and pelvic irradiation. 5-FU doses were 200 mgr/m2 for cycles 2-3 and 300 mgr/m2 for cycles 1 and 4-8. LV doses remained fixed at 200 mgr/m2. Pelvic radiation was started in the third week, between the first and second cycle. The total dose was 50.4 Gy. No severe complications had been recorded. The incidence of grade 3 diarrhea was 19%. Three patients presented leukopenia grade 3 (5%). In 44 patients (78%) the planned treatment could be administered. The median follow-up was 40 months (range 22-66). Seven patients had a local relapse (13%) and 6 developed distant metastasis (10%). The 3-year disease-free survival was 72% and the overall survival was 76%. These preliminary results show that combined post-operative 5-FU/LV and pelvic radiotherapy are well tolerated and present a reasonable local control and survival rates. This adjuvant treatment should be evaluated in randomized trials.

La cuestionable utilizacion de la supresion androgenica en pacientes con cancer de prostata no diseminado, hace que frecuentemente asistamos al diagnostico de resistencia a castracion antes de que el cancer sea metastasico (CRPCM0), sin tener hasta la fecha una alternativa terapeutica valida en este escenario. La mayoria de estos pacientes provienen de distintos grupos de poblacion. Probablemente el mas numeroso corresponde a aquellos que desarrollan fracaso bioquimico despues de prostatectomia radical y que han recibido radioterapia adyuvante o de rescate. Otro grupo de pacientes lo integran aquellos que no han recibido radioterapia porque tenian una recidiva bioquimica con criterios de alto riesgo de diseminacion y, finalmente, el grupo de pacientes que han sido tratados con finalidad radical mediante radioterapia y hormonoterapia neoadyuvante durante periodos que oscilaron entre 6 meses y 3 anos. El conjunto de la suma de estos pacientes representa en la actualidad mas del 80% de los que llegan al estado de resistencia a castracion1. El escenario actual incorpora evidencias de tipo I, que prueban la eficacia de nuevas formas de hormonoterapia en pacientes con CPRC y enfermedad diseminada, asintomaticos o levemente sintomaticos2. Estas nuevas modalidades terapeuticas vienen a ocupar un nicho de tratamiento en el que el empleo de la quimioterapia era muy discutido, pues docetaxel solia indicarse solamente en pacientes sintomaticos y en aquellos asintomaticos con criterios de mal pronostico3. Los datos disponibles actualmente con los nuevos farmacos demuestran que su mayor eficacia se encuentra en pacientes asintomaticos o minimamente sintomaticos. En consecuencia, parece logico pensar que ahora ante un paciente con CPRCM0 debemos intentar realizar el diagnostico precoz de la afectacion metastasica. De esa forma, estos pacientes tendrian la oportunidad de obtener el maximo beneficio de estos tratamientos. ?Es eso asi? o ?Estaremos frente a un nuevo escenario donde una mayor supervivencia es solo fruto de un sesgo en el tiempo, producido al iniciar antes un tratamiento? La respuesta a esta cuestion es compleja y solamente podria responderse con un estudio prospectivo y aleatorizado, disenado especificamente para responder a esta cuestion. La identificacion precoz de la diseminacion en pacientes con CPRCM0 requiere una actitud proactiva para detectar las metastasis. El problema radica en la falta de sensibilidad de la pruebas de imagen clasicamente utilizadas (gammagrafia osea, tomografia computarizada, resonancia magnetica convencional) para detectar la diseminacion4. El estudio del brazo control del ensayo clinico que comparo denosumab con placebo en la prevencion de metastasis oseas en pacientes con alto riesgo de diseminacion (CPRCM0 y PSA superior a 8 o PSADT < 10 meses) ha provisto de una informacion valiosa que define un incremento geometrico de la probabilidad de desarrollar metastasis oseas cuando el tiempo de doblaje de PSA es inferior a 6 meses, sin embargo este estudio no aporta informacion acerca de otras localizaciones metastasicas5. La tomografia por emision de positrones (PET-TAC), realizada con colina, se ha estudiado fundamentalmente en pacientes con progresion bioquimica despues de prostatectomia radical y su eficacia es discreta en pacientes con niveles sericos de PSA inferiores a 1 ng/ml1. Un reciente metaanalisis ha demostrado que la sensibilidad del PET-TAC colina se relaciona en estos pacientes con la cinetica de PSA6. El unico estudio reportado en la literatura, que analiza la eficacia del PET-TAC colina en pacientes con CPRC, y por ello con PSA serico superior a 2 ng/ml demuestra una eficacia superior al 80%, oscilando entre el 63% cuando el PSA es inferior a 5 ng/ml y el 86% cuando el PSA es superior7. En esta serie de 157 pacientes, tambien se observo una relacion significativa de la positividad de la prueba con la cinetica del PSA. Otro estudio muy reciente ha observado una relacion significativa entre los hallazgos del PET-TAC colina y la supervivencia de pacientes con CPRC despues de prostatectomia radical. La positividad del PET-TAC, el nivel serico de PSA y una suma de Gleason superior a 7 fueron factores independientes en la prediccion de supervivencia cancer especifica8. La resonancia magnetica de cuerpo entero (RMCE) con difusion es otra alternativa que permite explorar la presencia de metastasis en estos pacientes9. Hasta la fecha un solo estudio ha comparado la eficacia de PET-TAC y RMCE en el diagnostico de metastasis oseas en pacientes con cancer de prostata. Este estudio se realizo en 49 pacientes con cancer de prostata de alto riesgo, en el contexto de su estadificacion inicial, y concluye que la PET-TAC seria una prueba mas sensible aunque algo menos especifica que la RMCE10. Quisieramos concluir sugiriendo en primer lugar, que la utilizacion de nuevas formas de tratamiento eficaces en pacientes con CPRCM1 asintomaticos requiere una actitud proactiva en el diagnostico precoz de la diseminacion. En segundo lugar, que en este escenario el PET-TAC colina o la RMCE serian las prueba mas eficaces para evidenciar precozmente la diseminacion. En tercer lugar, que deben realizarse algunos estudios para acotar mas precisamente el rendimiento de estas pruebas en funcion de algunos parametros clinicos, especialmente nivel serico de PSA y su cinetica, y definir su secuencia en caso de negatividad. Finalmente, comentar que este escenario puede ser coyuntural en el tiempo hasta que se aprueben tratamientos eficaces en para el CPRCM0 o porque se reduzca la incidencia de estos pacientes a causa de una mas adecuada utilizacion de la supresion androgenica.