In-depth analysis of the 2019 Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference (APCCC) - The importance of representation of medical specialty and geographic regions.

The rapid innovation of the treatment and diagnostic procedures in advanced prostate cancer has led to improved outcomes, though uncertainty remains regarding the best management approach in many clinical situations. The Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference (APCCC) 2019 addressed these areas of uncertainty with a multidisciplinary, international expert panel. A total of 57 experts voted on 123 carefully prepared questions. The primary analysis of the APCCC 2019 showed consensus (≥ 75% agreement on one answer) for 33 questions. Here we investigate whether agreement with the consensus answers differed according to medical discipline and region of practice. Overall there was no compelling evidence for group differences of agreement with the consensus answers, i.e. expert sub-groups differed no more than could be expected by chance due to differences between individual experts. All questions that achieved consensus, had at least 50% agreement of each expert sub-group. Furthermore, the set of consensus questions changed only moderately if one of the sub-groups was excluded from the panel. The identification of consensus questions and answers at APCCC 2019 appeared to be robust to the composition of the panel and well supported.