Background: New-generation imaging techniques and the increasing use of surgery in high-risk prostate cancer (PCa) allow us to detect many cases of nodal disease at initial diagnosis or after resection. The treatment of PCa with pathologic regional nodes has evolved from the exclusive use of systemic therapy to its combination with locoregional treatment. It can also represent a benefit in the overall survival. However, the evidence from randomised studies is limited. Thus, we review the most relevant results in this scenario.
Materials and methods: A literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Clinical-Trials.gov and Web of Science on January 2023 to review node-positive PCa by considering the relevant literature on this topic published with no restrictions on date and language. The search keywords used were "Prostatic Neoplasms" (MeSh) and "Node-positive" (Text Word) and "Radiotherapy" (MeSh) and ("Androgen Antagonists" (MeSh) or "Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal" (MeSh)), which are indexed within the Medical Subject Headings database.
Results: The management of node-positive PCa has no clear definitive consensus at the initial disease diagnosis or after surgery. However, in this review, we summarise the existing literature for the management of these patients in both scenarios, considering imaging tests, radiotherapy, hormone therapy and second-generation hormonal treatments.
Conclusions: The combination of radiotherapy and androgen-deprivation therapy is the treatment of choice. The addition of second-generation hormone therapy, plus the intensification of radiotherapy schedules, will likely change the treatment paradigm for these patients.
Keywords: androgen-deprivation therapy; positive lymph node; prostate cancer; radiotherapy; second-generation hormonal treatments.
© 2023 The Author(s).