RESUMO
Current clinical trials in disseminated prostatic cancer mostly use M0 or M1 to identify two prognostically different groups of patients. Soloway et al. [Cancer 1988;61:195-202] have shown a significant difference in survival depending on the extent of disease (EOD) on bone scan in M1 disease. Seventy-three prostatic cancer patients with bone-scan-proven metastases (T0-4 Nx M1 G1-3) from the Aust-Agder County in Norway with observation time 2-9 years were followed. The impact of T stage, grade, serum acid phosphatase status and EOD on survival was analyzed. EOD was assessed according to Soloway et al. No statistically significant difference could be demonstrated according to T stage or histological grade. A statistically significant difference in survival could be demonstrated both for normal versus elevated serum acid phosphatase and for EOD. EOD I/II had a better prognosis than EOD III/IV. Stratification of patients in EOD categories seems relevant, but the relative importance of the different EOD categories is not yet established.
