The 5-year estimated biochemical progression rates were 31% for Arm A and 28% for Arm B. Febrile neutropenia occurred in 16% of the docetaxel patients. No deaths were related to the docetaxel treatment. There were 43 deaths during the trial, including 20 in Arm A and 23 in Arm B, of which 9 and 7, respectively, were due to PCa. The Hazard Ratio from Cox multivariate analysis for PSA progression of Arm A (docetaxel) vs Arm B (surveillance) was 1.14 (95% CI 0.79 to 1.64, p=0.5). Conclusions: Adjuvant docetaxel without prednisone did not improve BDFS after radical radiotherapy with ADT for intermediate-or high-risk prostate cancer.

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A bacterial etiology for CPPS symptoms could not be demonstrated in patients with prostate cancer. The results also suggest that the prostate is unlikely to harbor bacterial normal flora.

OBJECTIVESTo provide a fluent and easily comprehensible Finnish version of the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) and to study its linguistic validity and correlation with a visual pain scale (VAS). PATIENTS AND METHODSThe double-back translation method with two interim modifications was used to produce the Finnish version of the NIH-CPSI. The validity was tested by presenting the questionnaire to 155 men with clinically confirmed chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) and 12 controls with no previous urological symptoms. Convergent validity of the NIH-CPSI was tested by determining the correlation between the Finnish NIH-CPSI and VAS. Patients' and urologists' opinions about the utility of the Finnish NIH-CPSI were also reviewed. RESULTSThe total Finnish NIH-CPSI scores and the pain domain and voiding symptom domain scores differed significantly ( P < 0.001) between the groups, suggesting good discriminant validity of the symptom index. The NIH-CPSI scores correlated well with the VAS (Pearson's correlation 0.76). The preciseness and comprehensibility of the questionnaire were consistently evaluated to be 'good' or 'excellent' both by patients and urologists. CONCLUSIONSThe Finnish version of the NIH-CPSI is valid and easily comprehensible for measuring CPPS symptoms. In addition, it provides good discriminant and convergent validity in distinguishing CPPS symptoms and should be used as primary outcome measure in CPPS studies. Authors from Finland have assessed a version in their language of theNational Institutes of HealthChronic Prostatitis Symptom Index; they found that their translated version was valid and easily understandable in the management of the symptoms of chronic pelvic pain syndrome. They felt it should be used as a primary outcome measure in studies with these patients.There are three papers in this issue relating to the effect of drugs on LUTS; the first of these is a pooled analysis of three double-blind placebo-controlled studies into the safety and efficacy of the 10 mg dose of alfuzosin. The second evaluates the effect on quality-oflife issues of treatment with dutasteride. Finally, authors from Australia compare the effect of a Serenoa repens extract with placebo for LUTS. M . J . L E S K I N E N E T A L .

Registration was not considered necessary at this stage of the follow-up because the study was initiated as early as in 1997, before the current requirements concerning study registrations were implemented.