Prognostic significance of the symptoms associated with prostatic carcinoma.

This paper discusses the prognostic significance of the symptoms of prostatic carcinoma. In a series of 123 patients, 72 presented with prostatism, of which 11% died with progressive malignant disease. Of 36 patients with retention of urine, 30% died with progressive malignant disease, and of 15 patients with a combination of skeletal pain and prostatism, 53% died of progressive malignant disease. Skeletal pain is a very poor prognostic factor.