BACKGROUNDIncidence of prostate cancer has been increasing in recent decades. In the year 2005, prostate cancer became the second most common cancer in males in Macau. The purpose of this report was to review and summarize the clinical features and prognosis of the 54 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy in Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR), China.

METHODSFrom November 2000 to November 2006, retropubic radical prostatectomy were performed in 54 cases for the treatment of prostate cancer. The mean age of patients was 69.8 years (range from 54 to 79). The preoperative prostate specific antigen (PSA) level, postoperative pathologic stage and Gleason's score, operation duration, intraoperative bleeding and intraoperative and postoperative complications were reported. The follow-up duration was 3 months to 6.25 years with a mean of 2.1 years. Postoperative parameters including PSA alteration, biochemical recurrence, local recurrence, distant metastasis and mortality were observed.

RESULTSMost of the patients in our study were diagnosed as localized prostate cancer. The patients' preoperative serum PSA was 0-4.0 ng/ml (16.7%), 4.0-10.0 ng/ml (51.8%), 10.1-20.0 ng/ml (24.1%) and above 20.0 ng/ml (7.4%). The TNM stage T1a+T1b comprised 7.6% of patients, stage T2a+T2b comprised 20.3%, stage T2c 38.9%, stage T3a 20.3% and over T3a only 12.9%. There were 9.5% cases with Gleason scores of 2-4, 41.5% with scores of 5-6, 30.2% with scores of 7 and 18.8% with scores of 8 - 10. The average operative duration was 216 minutes and the average intraoperative bleeding was 760 ml. Intraoperative complications included one massive hemorrhage (1.9%), one rectal injury (1.9%) and one obturator nerve injury (1.9%). Early postoperative complications consisted of urinary incontinence (14 cases, 25.9%), bladder neck stricture (5 cases, 9.3%), acute urinary retention (4 cases, 7.4%), pelvic effusion (2 cases, 3.8%), lymphocele (1 case, 1.9%) and vesicorectal fistula (only 1 case, 1.9%). For late postoperative complications, total incontinence or severe incontinence occurred in 6 cases (11.1%), urge incontinence in 2 cases (3.8%) and bladder neck contracture in 8 cases (14.8%). The total postoperative recurrence rate was 14.8%. Only 5 cases of biochemical recurrence were noted (9.3%). One case (1.9%) of local recurrence associated with elevated PSA was found. There were 2 cases of distant metastasis with elevated PSA (3.8%).

CONCLUSIONRadical prostatectomy is a safe and effective method for the treatment of localized prostate cancer in Macau.