Urologists criticize stop the prostate study

PREFERE study: professional society and professional association of German urologists regret stop the promotion
Berlin. With regret, the German Society for Urology (DGU) and the Association of German Urologists (BDU eV) have today noted that the sponsors of the PREFERE study on locally limited prostate cancer have decided not to sponsor the study due to low patient recruitment numbers adjust. According to a joint press release from Deutscher Krebshilfe, AOK-Bundesverband, BKK Dachverband, IKK eV, Knappschaft, Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture, Verband der Ersatzkassen eV (vdek) and the Association of Private Health Insurance, the grant will be valid from 31 December 2016 finished.

"The medical society of urologists and the professional association of urologists have to state that, despite the greatest efforts of all concerned, it has not been possible to investigate the treatment concepts for locally limited prostate cancer with the aid of the PREFERE study," says DGU General Secretary Prof. Dr. med. Maurice Stephan Michel. The President of the Professional Association of German Urologists e.V. Axel Schroeder, emphasizes: "DGU and BDU have supported the 2013 commissioned by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) to examine the issues of effectiveness of treatment strategies, side effects and quality of life at the highest level of studies and prostate cancer patients in the future To allow decision-making confidence in the choice of therapy. "

Image: Gerhard Seybert - fotolia

For the first time, the four strategies recommended in the S3 Guideline for the treatment of locally limited prostate cancer with low and early intermediate risk in the world's largest study of locally limited prostate cancer should be prospectively randomized. That is, the study participants were randomly assigned to one of the four treatment options: complete surgical removal of the prostate gland, external radiation therapy, radiation from permanently placed prostate glands, or active surveillance, where treatment only occurs as the disease progresses starts. This so-called randomization minimizes the influence of external factors and allows the highest quality comparison of the four treatment strategies. To accommodate patients' preferences, participants in the PREFERE study were able to exclude one or a maximum of two of the four treatment options.

Although the PREFERE study was supported by a large alliance of German Cancer Aid, the statutory and private health insurance, DGU and BDU, the German Society for Radiation Oncology, the German Cancer Society and the Federal Association Prostate Cancer Self-help eV, the study objectives in terms of recruitment of participants in the planned time of four years can not be achieved. With the cessation of funding, the question of the best treatment option for locally limited prostate cancer, including in terms of burden and quality of life, remains unclear.

For the benefit of men newly diagnosed in the future, DGU and BDU therefore jointly advocate pursuing the approach of the PREFERE study with other scientific methods. For example, therapies chosen on the basis of individual medical advice and self-determined patient decisions could be documented and evaluated under adapted study conditions with regard to success, stress and quality of life. The new DGU Secretary General elected in September, Prof. Dr. med. Maurice Stephan Michel and BDU President Axel Schroeder emphasize that both associations consider the clarification of this issue important and actively available for advising, detailing and accompanying such an altered concept.