ObjectivesTo conduct a systematic review of the risks of short-term outcomes following major treatments for clinically localized prostate cancer.Materials and methodsMEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library from 2004 to January 2013. Study arms that included at least 100 men with localized prostate cancer in receipt of surgery, radiotherapy or active surveillance and reported symptomatic and quality of life (QoL) data from 6 months to five years after treatment were eligible. Data were extracted by one reviewer and checked by another.Results64 studies (80 treatment cohorts) were included. Most were single treatment cohorts from the US or Europe. Prostatectomy was the most common treatment (39 cohorts), followed by radiotherapy (external beam and brachytherapy; 31 cohorts), with only one active surveillance cohort. Most frequently measured symptoms were urinary, followed by sexual and bowel; QoL was assessed in only 17 cohorts. Most studies used validated measures, although poor data reporting and differences between studies meant that it was not possible to pool data. ConclusionData on the precise impact of short-term symptomatic and QoL outcomes following treatment for localized prostate cancer is of insufficient quality for clear guidance to men about the risks to these aspects of their lives. It is important that future studies focus on collecting core outcomes through validated measures and comply with reporting guidelines so that clear and accurate information can be derived for men considering screening or treatment for prostate cancer.
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