Radiotherapy after prostatectomy: prognosis, timing and outcomes.

Biochemical disease-free survival following radical prostatectomy can be improved with the use of adjuvant and salvage radiotherapy. However, there is a lack of consensus over the ideal timing to start adjuvant and salvage radiotherapy after surgery. The literature in relation to adjuvant and salvage radiotherapy following radical prostatectomy was reviewed, focusing specifically on the prognostic factors that influence the need for postoperative radiotherapy, outcomes following adjuvant and salvage radiotherapy and potential side effects. Post-surgery prognostic factors can be useful in identifying patients early on who may benefit from adjuvant radiotherapy. While there is literature examining the role of radiotherapy following radical prostatectomy, few dedicated trials investigate this area thoroughly.