Introduction: To evaluate the feasibility and reliability of telephone follow-up after radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer (PC).
Methods: This is a multicenter prospective observational study (January 2017- ongoing). Patients received telephone call 7-10 days before the office evaluation. During the telephone call clinical history and last available PSA were assessed. During office evaluation a urologist performed digital rectal examination (DRE) and was blind to PSA level, a second urologist assessed the PSA and the reported DRE. Correlation between PSA and DRE was performed.
Patients were stratified according to PSA levels as follow: Group 1 PSA < 0.2 ng/ml Group 2 PSA > 0.2 ng/ml Patients were stratified also according to surgical margin specimen and pT stages. Agreement evaluation was performed. Telephone follow-up satisfaction was assessed by VAS scale.
Results: All patients with PSA < 0.2 ng/ml had negative DRE with agreement of 100%. Pts with PSA > 0.2 ng/ml had a positive DRE in 3/34, all pts with PSA <4 ng/ml. The concordance between DRE and PSA in non-biochemical recurrence patients was 100% (461/461), while the concordance between DRE and PSA in biochemical recurrence patients was 8.8% (3/34). Surgical margin specimen and pT stages did not influenced DRE results (Table 1). The patient management between telephone follow-up and in clinic evaluation did not change in all cases with PSA <0.2, while in case of biochemical recurrence could change in 8.8%. Satisfaction rate was high (82%). Stratification of patients according with DRE and PSA levels is reported in table 2.
Conclusions: Telephone follow-up was feasible and reliable in the management of males without biochemical recurrence after RP. While, in case of biochemical recurrence an office evaluation is advisable. Telephone follow-up had high patients’ satisfaction rate. Source of
