The diagnosis of prostatic cancer

Transrectal needle aspiration versus transperineal needle biopsy in diagnosis of prostatic carcinoma

Fine-needle aspiration of the prostate was compared to transperineal biopsy in 86 patients with suspected prostatic carcinoma. Aspiration was found to have a sensitivity of 98.6% while no complications were seen. Initial core needle biopsy compared to the final histological diagnosis in this study showed a sensitivity of 84.5%. Fine-needle aspiration of the prostate is a safe, inexpensive and accurate diagnostic method in prostatic carcinoma. Our findings suggest that prostatic aspiration should be used more widely as an initial diagnostic procedure for suspected prostatic cancer.

Transrectal thin-needle aspiration biopsy of prostate: four years' experience

Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the prostate is of great advantage in the diagnosis of prostatic disease. The procedure is quick, safe, and reliable. Several aspirations can be done even in outpatients with minimum trauma. Complications are rare. In this study cytologic diagnosis was obtained in 511 consecutive patients. To evaluate the cytologic accuracy, 195 cytologic diagnoses were compared with histologic findings obtained from transperineal biopsy on the same patients. Correlation was achieved in 96.42 per cent of these cases. The findings in 127 histologically graded prostatic cancers were compared with the cytologic differentiation observed in aspiration smears of the same patients. Cytologic grading of prostatic carcinoma corresponded to the histologic grading in 85.8 per cent of the cases.

Bone pain in metastatic cancer of prostate

The characteristics of bone pain in metastatic cancer of the prostate were studied in 23 patients. The pain may be continuous or intermittent, show diurnal variations, and be migratory. The effects of activity, rest, and alcohol vary in different individuals. Relief of bone pain by analgesic medications is unsatisfactory. Aspirin-containing compounds are often more effective than narcotics for pain relief. The effects of external beam irradiation for palliation of pain are unpredictable.

Demonstration of the prostatic origin of metastases: an immunohistochemical method for formalin-fixed embedded tissue

An indirect immunohistochemical technique is described for identification of the prostatic origin of metastases in formalin fixed, paraffin or paraplast embedded material. A rabbit antiserum against the prostate specific acid phosphatase isoenzyme was developed. The method is applicable with or without previous decalcification. In 30 cases of prostatic carcinoma there was only one negative result, and in 20 cases of metastases from prostatic carcinoma positive results were obtained in every instance. All carcinomas (primary focus or metastasis) of non prostatic origin (55) stained negatively with the developed antiserum. The application and possible limitations of the method are discussed.