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Prostate Removal May Be Option for Older Men
Oct. 18, 2005 -- Aggressive treatment of prostate cancer with removal of the entire prostate gland, known as a radical prostatectomy, may be a safe option for otherwise healthy men up to age 79, according to a new study.
Radical prostatectomy is the preferred treatment for men with prostate cancer that has not spread to other organs, but many doctors do not recommend the procedure for men over age 70 due to a perceived higher potential risk for complications.
Compared with more conservative treatments, like radiation and chemotherapy, previous studies have shown that treating men with localized prostate cancer with radical prostatectomy is associated with a lower risk of the tumor spreading to other organs or causing death.
Despite these advantages, researchers say recent surveys show more than half of American and Canadian urologists believe age 70 should be the upper limit for the invasive surgical procedure.
Prostatectomy Age Limit May Not Apply
To determine if this upper age limit was justified, researchers compared the risk of complications and/or death within 30 days after radical prostatectomy in more than 11,000 men who underwent the procedure in Canada from 1990 to 1999.
The results, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, showed that 0.5% of men died following the procedure and 20% experienced one or more complications.
Increasing age was associated with an increasing risk of complications, but the absolute risk of death was still relatively low for older men up to age 79. For example, the absolute risk of death was 0.66% among men aged 70 to 79 -- only slightly higher than the overall risk.
Instead, researchers found the risk of complications or death was more closely related to the presence of other medical problems, such as heart disease or stroke, than age alone.
Researchers say these results suggest that radical prostatectomy is a relatively safe treatment option for otherwise healthy older men up to age 79. But more research should look at the use of detailed risk assessments and interventions to reduce the risks to men considering prostatectomy with other health conditions.
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Indication
Uroxatral® (alfuzosin HCl 10 mg extended-release tablets) is an alpha1-blocker for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of BPH.
Important Safety Information
Do not take UROXATRAL if you have liver problems or if you are taking antifungal drugs like ketoconazole or itraconazole, or HIV drugs like ritonavir.
UROXATRAL can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, especially when starting treatment. This may lead to fainting, dizziness, and lightheadedness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do any dangerous activity until you know how UROXATRAL will affect you. This is especially important if you already have a problem with low blood pressure or take medicines to treat high blood pressure. There may be an increased risk of low blood pressure and fainting when taking UROXATRAL in combination with blood pressure medication or nitrates, or erectile dysfunction medication.
If considering cataract surgery (clouding of the eyes), tell your eye surgeon that you are currently taking UROXATRAL or have previously been treated with an alpha-blocker.
Before taking UROXATRAL, tell your doctor if you have kidney problems.
Also, tell your doctor if you or any family member(s) have or take medications for a rare heart condition known as congenital prolongation of the QT interval.
BPH and prostate cancer can cause the same symptoms. However, UROXATRAL is not a treatment for prostate cancer.
The most common side effects with UROXATRAL are dizziness, upper respiratory tract infection, headache, and tiredness.
Please see UROXATRAL full prescribing information.
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