BALTIMORE, Feb. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the American Urological Association (AUA), in partnership with the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and the Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO), released the 2024 clinical practice guideline on salvage therapy for prostate cancer.

While the definitive standard-of-care therapies cure most patients with clinically localized prostate cancer, the risk of recurrence and even subsequent metastasis is over 50% in patients with the highest disease risk features. Understanding the evaluation and appropriate use of salvage therapies for patients with biochemical recurrence is a critical area of prostate cancer care. Balancing undertreatment with overtreatment, utilizing new therapeutic agents and imaging modalities, and optimizing patient selection with evidence-driven prognostic markers are all critical to improving oncologic outcomes and maintaining the quality of life for these patients.

“With a focus on evidence-based approaches and a commitment to patient-centered care, this guideline will make a real difference for patients dealing with recurrence of their prostate cancer following initial treatment,” said Todd Morgan, MD, Chair of the Guideline Panel. “Thanks to the incredible expertise of the entire Panel, this guideline helps provide a roadmap that combines the latest advancements with thoughtful recommendations, empowering patients and clinicians alike.”

This guideline has 30 recommendations and is a useful reference for effective evidence-based care related to salvage therapy for prostate cancer.

“Clinical trials involving large numbers of men show that radiation as a salvage therapy after radical prostatectomy can improve survival outcomes, delay cancer progression and potentially offer a second chance at cure for many patients,” said Ronald C. Chen, MD, MPH, FASTRO, Vice Chair of the Guideline Panel and Professor and Chair of Radiation Oncology at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City. “This guideline provides a framework for multidisciplinary teams to personalize treatments based on best practices developed through decades of research.”

This guideline includes a focus on the following topics:

• Treatment decision-making at the time of suspected biochemical recurrence after primary radical prostatectomy
• Treatment delivery for non-metastatic biochemical recurrence after primary radical prostatectomy
• Evaluation and management of suspected non-metastatic recurrence after radiation therapy
• Evaluation and management of suspected non-metastatic recurrence after focal therapy
• Evaluation and management of regional recurrence
• Management for molecular imaging metastatic recurrence

“The considerations surrounding salvage therapy in prostate cancer have significantly evolved with the emergence of improved imaging and therapeutics,” said SUO President Dan Lin, MD. “The new salvage therapy guideline provides practical, clear and evidence-based recommendations for recurrence after surgery, radiation, and focal therapy, offering a multidisciplinary approach to the management of this clinical scenario.”

The full guideline is now available at auanet.org/STPCGuideline

Summaries of the Guideline also appears at:

Morgan TM, Boorjian SA, Buyyounouski MK, et al. Salvage therapy for prostate cancer: AUA/ASTRO/SUO guideline part I: introduction and treatment decision-making at the time of suspected biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy. J Urol. 2024;211(4):509-517.

https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/JU.0000000000003892

Morgan TM, Boorjian SA, Buyyounouski MK, et al. Salvage therapy for prostate cancer: AUA/ASTRO/SUO guideline part II: treatment delivery for non-metastatic biochemical recurrence after primary radical prostatectomy. J Urol. 2024;211(4):518-525.

https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/JU.0000000000003891

Morgan TM, Boorjian SA, Buyyounouski MK, et al. Salvage therapy for prostate cancer: AUA/ASTRO/SUO guideline part III: salvage therapy after radiotherapy or focal therapy, pelvic nodal recurrence and oligometastasis, and future directions. J Urol. 2024;211(4):526-532.

https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/JU.0000000000003890

About the American Urological Association: Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology, and has more than 25,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy.

Corey Del Bianco
American Urological Association
443-909-4033
cdelbianco@auanet.org