Patterns of Recurrence After Salvage Radiotherapy Encompassing Pelvic Lymphatics in Men with High-risk Prostate Cancer

Background/Aim: The efficacy of adjuvant or salvage radiation to the regional lymph node area has not been fully investigated in high-risk prostate cancer patients; instead, radiotherapy is limited to the prostate fossa. The present study aimed to assess patterns of recurrence in prostate cancer patients with biochemical failure (BCF) who were treated with whole-pelvic salvage radiotherapy (SRT) following radical prostatectomy. Patients and Methods: The clinical data from 196 high-risk prostate cancer patients who received SRT for BCF after radical prostatectomy were reviewed. BCF after SRT was detected in 80 patients, and 59 patients underwent imaging studies. Results: Twenty four recurrences in 16 patients were identified, including 13 bone metastases, 6 vesicourethral anastomosis site recurrences, and 5 lymph node recurrences (one simultaneous with vesicourethral anastomosis). Regarding the treatment field, no in-field nodal recurrence was observed, whereas 4 out-of-field and 1 edge-of-field recurrences were detected. Conclusion: Locoregional recurrence was most common at the anastomosis site. Most nodal recurrences were located outside the pelvis, suggesting that elective pelvic nodal irradiation should be recommended in a selected patient population.

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