Improving research for prostate cancer survivorship: A statement from the Survivorship Research in Prostate Cancer (SuRECaP) working group

• Published in: Urologic oncology Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. 83 - 93
• Main Authors: Narayan, Vivek, Harrison, Michael, Cheng, Heather, Kenfield, Stacey, Aggarwal, Rahul, Kwon, Daniel, McKay, Rana, Hauger, Richard, Hart, Nicolas, Conzen, Suzanne, Borno, Hala, Jim, Heather, Dicker, Adam, Dorff, Tanya, Moslehi, Javid, Mucci, Lorelei, Parsons, J. Kellogg, Saad, Fred, Soule, Howard, Morgans, Alicia, Ryan, Charles J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.03.2020
• Subjects: Biomedical Research; Cancer Survivors; Continuity of Patient Care; Humans; Improving research; Male; Prostate cancer; Prostate cancer survivorship; Prostatic Neoplasms - mortality; Prostatic Neoplasms - therapy; Survival Rate; Survivorship; Prostate cancer survivorship; Improving research; Survivorship; Prostate cancer
• ISSN: 1078-1439; 1873-2496
• DOI: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2019.10.006

•The conduct of quality prostate cancer survivorship research is of increasing importance for patients, medical providers, and other key stakeholders.•Prostate cancer survivorship research requires careful consideration of unique disease-specific factors, including the prolonged natural disease history, the potential for competing health risks, and the consequences of long-term androgen deprivation therapy.•A multifaceted approach to prostate cancer survivorship research should involve studies addressing 3 key research categories: (1) Disease biology – including the biologic mechanisms and biomarkers of therapy-related toxicities; (2) Clinical effects – including the clinical syndromes and functional sequelae resulting from systemic therapies; and (3) the Subjective patient experience – focusing on patient-reported outcomes both during and after treatment. Survivorship care for patients with prostate cancer requires careful consideration of unique disease-specific factors, including the prolonged natural disease history, the potential for competing health risks, and the consequences of long-term androgen deprivation therapy. However, current prostate cancer survivorship research is unfortunately limited by the lack of a robust supportive evidence base, variability in the definitions and measurement of survivorship outcomes, and a heavy reliance on expert opinion. As a result, the conduct of quality prostate cancer survivorship research is of increasing importance for patients, medical providers, and other key stakeholders. This manuscript harmonizes a path forward for improving prostate cancer survivorship by defining prostate cancer survivorship and survivorship research, as well as by highlighting key research priorities and cooperative mechanisms for survivorship studies within prostate cancer, with a particular focus on men with advanced disease.