Fig. 1.

Following the recommendations of the Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Working Group 3 (PCWG3), patients were allocated to different categories [16], which also took PSA values during follow-up into account. The derived categories were as follows: (1) sustained response, (2) response followed by SD, (3) SD, (4) response followed by PD, (5) SD followed by PD, (6) PD. Median overall survival was significantly shorter for patients in category 6 (PD; 8 months) compared to all other categories (category 1: 18 months, HR 0.36, 95% CI 0.22–0.59, P < 0.001; category 2: 15.5 months, HR 0.41, 95% CI 0.21–0.81, P = 0.03; category 3: 18 months, HR 0.52, 95% CI 0.30–0.89, P = 0.02; category 4: 21 months, HR 0.37, 95% CI 0.22–0.63, P < 0.001; category 5: 19 months, HR 0.45, 95% CI 0.25–0.80, P = 0.02). There were no significant differences within the categories 1–5 (P ≥ 0.11). cat., category; SD, stable disease; PD, progressive disease