Race, tumor location, and disease progression among low-risk prostate cancer patients

Background: The relationship between race, prostate tumor location, and BCR-free survival is inconclusive. This study examined the independent and joint roles of patient race and tumor location on biochemical recurrence-free (BCR) survival. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among men with newly diagnosed, biopsy-confirmed, NCCN-defined low risk CaP who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center from 1996 to 2008. BCR-free survival was modeled using Kaplan-Meier estimation curves and multivariable Cox proportional hazards (PH) analyses. Results: There were 539 eligible patients with low-risk CaP (25% African American, AA; 75% Caucasian American, CA). Median age at CaP diagnosis and post-RP follow-up time was 59.2 and 8.1 years, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analyses showed no significant association between race (P =.52) or predominant tumor location (P =.98) on BCR-free survival. In Cox PH multivariable analysis, neither race (HR = 1.18; 95% CI = 0.68-2.02; P =.56) nor predominant tumor location (HR = 1.13; 95% CI = 0.59-2.15; P =.71) was an independent predictor of BCR-free survival. Conclusions: Neither race nor predominant tumor location was associated with adverse oncologic outcome.