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Postoperative radiotherapy after upfront radical prostatectomy: debated issues at a turning point—a survey exploring management trends on behalf of AIRO (Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology)

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Abstract

Objectives

Postoperative prostate cancer patients are a heterogeneous population, and many prognostic factors (e.g., local staging, PSA kinetics, margin status, histopathological features) may influence their clinical management. In this complex scenario, univocal recommendations are often lacking. For these reasons, the present survey was developed by the Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (AIRO) to collect the opinion of Italian radiation oncologists and delineate a representation of current clinical practice in our country.

Methods

A questionnaire was administered online to AIRO (Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology) members registered in 2020 with a clinical interest in uro-oncological disease.

Results

Sixty-one per cent of AIRO members answered the proposed survey. Explored topics included career and expertise, indications to adjuvant RT, additional imaging in biochemical recurrence setting, use of salvage radiotherapy (SRT), management of clinically evident locoregional recurrence and future considerations.

Conclusions

Overall, good level of agreement was found between participants for most of the topics. Most debated issues regarded, as expected, implementation of new imaging methods in this setting. Notably, trend in favour of early SRT vs. immediate adjuvant RT was underlined, and preference for global evaluation rather than isolated risk factors for RT indications was noticed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiotherapy Department, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

    G. Francolini

  2. Radioterapia Oncologica, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale - IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy

    G. Timon

  3. Department of Radiation Oncology, Centro di Riferimento, Oncologico di Aviano CRO-IRCCS, Aviano, PN, Italy

    F. Matrone

  4. Division of Radiation Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy

    G. Marvaso

  5. Advanced Radiation Oncology Department, Cancer Care Center, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, via Don Sempreboni 5, 37034, Verona, Negrar, Italy

    L. Nicosia

  6. Radiotheray Unit, San Gaetano Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Center, Palermo, Italy

    L. Ognibene

  7. Department of Radiation Oncology, “SS Annunziata” Hospital, “G. D’Annunzio” University, Via dei Vestini, 66100, Chieti, Italy

    A. Vinciguerra

  8. Radiation Oncology, Campus Bio-Medico University, Via A. del Portillo, 21, 00128, Rome, Italy

    L. E. Trodella

  9. Radiotherapy and Radiosurgery Department, Humanitas Clinical and Research Hospital-IRCCS, Via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, Milan, Italy

    C. Franzese

  10. Radiation Oncology Department, University and Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy

    P. Borghetti

  11. Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    B. A. Jereczek-Fossa

  12. Division of Radiotherapy, IEO European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy

    B. A. Jereczek-Fossa

  13. Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan Bicocca, Milan, Italy

    S. Arcangeli

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  1. G. Francolini
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Francolini, G., Timon, G., Matrone, F. et al. Postoperative radiotherapy after upfront radical prostatectomy: debated issues at a turning point—a survey exploring management trends on behalf of AIRO (Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology). Clin Transl Oncol 23, 2568–2578 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-021-02665-y

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