Purpose: We investigate the long-term outcome of patients with prostate cancer treated with noncurative intent.
Materials and methods: All 514 prostate cancer patients who died between 1988 and 1991 and who underwent either deferred or immediate hormonal treatment were followed from death until diagnosis.
Results: In all patients with stage M0 disease at diagnosis the ultimate cancer mortality rate was 50%. Among the 65 patients who survived at least 10 years the mortality rate due to prostate cancer was 63%.
Conclusions: Mortality in patients with stage M0 prostate cancer was surprisingly high when followup exceeded 10 years.