PCUMex survey: Controversies in the management of prostate cancer among Mexican urologists

Background

Prostate cancer is the first cause of mortality related to malignancy in Mexican men. Common clinical practice has to be evaluated in order to gain a picture of reality apart from the guidelines.

Aim

To analyze clinical practice among urologists in Mexico in relation to prostate cancer management and to compare the results with current recommendations and guidelines.

Methods

We collected the data from 600 urologists, members of the Sociedad Mexicana de Urología, who were invited by email to answer a survey on their usual decisions when managing controversial aspects of prostate cancer patients.

Results

Quinolones were the most common antibiotic used as prophylaxis in prostate biopsy (75.51%); 10–12 cores were taken in more than 65% of prostate biopsies; and 18.27% of the participants performed limited pelvic lymphadenectomy. Treatment results showed that 10.75% of the urologists surveyed preferred radical prostatectomy as monotherapy in high-risk patients with extraprostatic extension and 60.47% used complete androgen deprivation in metastatic prostate cancer.

Conclusions

There are many areas of opportunity for improvement in our current clinical practice for the management of patients with prostate cancer.