Expectant management of veterans with early-stage prostate cancer

Validation of the prostate cancer comorbidity index in predicting cause-specific mortality in men undergoing radical prostatectomy

PURPOSE

Accurate prediction of competing risks of mortality remains a key component of prostate cancer treatment decision-making. We sought to validate the Prostate Cancer Comorbidity Index (PCCI) score for predicting other-cause mortality (OCM) and cancer outcomes in men undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We sampled 4857 men with prostate cancer treated with RP in the VA from 2000-2018. Risks of OCM, 90-day all-cause mortality (ACM), prostate cancer-specific mortality, metastasis, and biochemical recurrence by PCCI score were assessed using Cox proportional hazards and logistic regression. We compared prediction of 90-day ACM between PCCI and the American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) score, a validated predictor of short-term mortality.

RESULTS

Over median follow-up of 6.7 years (IQR 3.7-10.3), there was a stepwise increase in risk of OCM with higher PCCI score, with hazards (95%CI) of 1.53 (1.14-2.04), 2.11 (1.55-2.88), 2.36 (1.68-3.31), 3.61 (2.61-4.98), and 4.99 (3.58-6.96) for PCCI 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-9, and 10 + (vs. 0), respectively. Projected 10-year cumulative incidence of OCM was 8%, 12%, 16%, 19%, 26%, and 32% for scores of 0, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-9, and 10+ , respectively. Men with PCCI 7+ had greater odds of 90-day ACM (OR 3.48, 95%CI 1.26-9.63) while men with higher ASA did not. Higher PCCI score was associated with worse cancer outcomes, with the highest categories driving the associations.

CONCLUSIONS

The PCCI is a robust measure of short- and long-term OCM after RP, validated for use in clinical care and health services research focusing on surgical patient populations.

Metastasis and Mortality in Men With Low- and Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer on Active Surveillance

BACKGROUND

Active surveillance (AS) is a safe treatment option for men with low-risk, localized prostate cancer. However, the safety of AS for patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer remains unclear.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We identified men with NCCN-classified low-risk and favorable and unfavorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer diagnosed between 2001 and 2015 and initially managed with AS in the Veterans Health Administration. We analyzed progression to definitive treatment, metastasis, prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM), and all-cause mortality using cumulative incidences and multivariable competing-risks regression.

RESULTS

The cohort included 9,733 men, of whom 1,007 (10.3%) had intermediate-risk disease (773 [76.8%] favorable, 234 [23.2%] unfavorable), followed for a median of 7.6 years. The 10-year cumulative incidence of metastasis was significantly higher for patients with favorable (9.6%; 95% CI, 7.1%-12.5%; P<.001) and unfavorable intermediate-risk disease (19.2%; 95% CI, 13.4%-25.9%; P<.001) than for those with low-risk disease (1.5%; 95% CI, 1.2%-1.9%). The 10-year cumulative incidence of PCSM was also significantly higher for patients with favorable (3.7%; 95% CI, 2.3%-5.7%; P<.001) and unfavorable intermediate-risk disease (11.8%; 95% CI, 6.8%-18.4%; P<.001) than for those with low-risk disease (1.1%; 95% CI, 0.8%-1.4%). In multivariable competing-risks regression, favorable and unfavorable intermediate-risk patients had significantly increased risks of metastasis and PCSM compared with low-risk patients (all P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with low-risk patients, those with favorable and unfavorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer managed with AS are at increased risk of metastasis and PCSM. AS may be an appropriate option for carefully selected patients with favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer, though identification of appropriate candidates and AS protocols should be tested in future prospective studies.

Active surveillance for intermediate-risk prostate cancer in African American and non-Hispanic White men

BACKGROUND

The safety of active surveillance (AS) for African American men compared with non-Hispanic White (White) men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer is unclear.

METHODS

The authors identified patients with modified National Comprehensive Cancer Network favorable ("low-intermediate") and unfavorable ("high-intermediate") intermediate-risk prostate cancer diagnosed between 2001 and 2015 and initially managed with AS in the Veterans Health Administration database. They analyzed definitive treatment, disease progression, metastases, prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM), and all-cause mortality by using cumulative incidences and multivariable competing-risks (disease progression, metastasis, and PCSM) or Cox (all-cause mortality) regression.

RESULTS

The cohort included 1007 men (African Americans, 330 [32.8%]; Whites, 677 [67.2%]) followed for a median of 7.7 years; 773 (76.8%) had low-intermediate-risk disease, and 234 (23.2%) had high-intermediate-risk disease. The 10-year cumulative incidences of definitive treatment were not significantly different (African Americans, 83.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 78.5%-88.7%; Whites, 80.6%; 95% CI, 76.6%-84.4%; P = .17). Among those with low-intermediate-risk disease, there were no significant differences in the 10-year cumulative incidences of disease progression (African Americans, 46.8%; 95% CI, 40.0%-53.3%; Whites, 46.9%; 95% CI, 42.1%-51.5%; P = .91), metastasis (African Americans, 7.1%; 95% CI, 3.7%-11.8%; Whites, 10.8%; 95% CI, 7.6%-14.6%; P = .17), or PCSM (African Americans, 3.8%; 95% CI, 1.6%-7.5%; Whites, 3.8%; 95% CI, 2.0%-6.3%; P = .69). In a multivariable regression including the entire cohort, African American race was not associated with increased risks of definitive treatment, disease progression, metastasis, PCSM, or all-cause mortality (all P > .30).

CONCLUSIONS

Outcomes in the Veterans Affairs Health System were similar for African American and White men treated for low-intermediate-risk prostate cancer with AS.

Interaction between race and prostate cancer treatment benefit in the Veterans Health Administration

BACKGROUND

Studies have demonstrated that Black men may undergo definitive prostate cancer (CaP) treatment less often than men of other races, but it is unclear whether they are avoiding overtreatment of low-risk disease or experiencing a reduction in appropriate care. The authors' aim was to assess the role of race as it relates to treatment benefit in access to CaP treatment in a single-payer population.

METHODS

The authors used the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Corporate Data Warehouse to perform a retrospective cohort study of veterans diagnosed with low- or intermediate-risk CaP between 2011 and 2017.

RESULTS

The authors identified 35,427 men with incident low- or intermediate-risk CaP. When they controlled for covariates, Black men had 1.05 times the odds of receiving treatment in comparison with non-Black men (P < .001), and high-treatment-benefit men had 1.4 times the odds of receiving treatment in comparison with those in the low-treatment-benefit group (P < .001). The interaction of race and treatment benefit was significant, with Black men in the high-treatment-benefit category less likely to receive treatment than non-Black men in the same treatment category (odds ratio, 0.89; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Although race does appear to influence the receipt of definitive treatment in the VHA, this relationship varies in the context of the patient's treatment benefit, with Black men receiving less definitive treatment in high-benefit situations. The influence of patient race at high treatment benefit levels invites further investigation into the driving forces behind this persistent disparity in this consequential group.

Patient-reported Health Status, Comorbidity Burden, and Prostate Cancer Treatment

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether patient-reported health status, more so than comorbidity, influences treatment in men with localized prostate cancer.

METHODS

Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results data linked with Medicare claims and CAHPS surveys, we identified men aged 65-84 diagnosed with localized prostate cancer from 2004 to 2013 and ascertained their National Cancer Institute (NCI) comorbidity score and patient-reported health status. Adjusting for demographics and cancer risk, we examined the relationship between these measures and treatment for the overall cohort, low-risk men aged 65-74, intermediate/high-risk men aged 65-74, and men aged 75-84.

RESULTS

Among 2724 men, 43.0% rated their overall health as Excellent/Very Good, while 62.7% had a comorbidity score of 0. Beyond age and cancer risk, patient-reported health status was significantly associated with treatment. Compared to men reporting Excellent/Very Good health, men in Poor/Fair health less often received treatment (odds ratio [OR] 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.56-0.90). Younger men with intermediate/high-risk cancer in Good (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.41-0.88) or Fair/Poor (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.30-0.79) health less often underwent prostatectomy vs radiation compared to men in Excellent/Very Good health. In contrast, men with NCI comorbidity score of 1 more often received treatment (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.11-1.70) compared to men with NCI comorbidity score of 0.

CONCLUSION

Patient-reported health status drives treatment for prostate cancer in an appropriate direction whereas comorbidity has an inconsistent relationship. Greater understanding of this interplay between subjective and empiric assessments may facilitate more shared decision-making in prostate cancer care.

European Society for Sexual Medicine Consensus Statement on the Use of the Cavernous Nerve Injury Rodent Model to Study Postradical Prostatectomy Erectile Dysfunction

INTRODUCTION

Rodent animal models are currently the most used in vivo model in translational studies looking into the pathophysiology of erectile dysfunction after nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy.

AIM

This European Society for Sexual Medicine (ESSM) statement aims to guide scientists toward utilization of the rodent model in an appropriate, timely, and proficient fashion.

METHODS

MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for basic science studies, using a rodent animal model, looking into the consequence of pelvic nerve injury on erectile function.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The authors present a consensus on how to best perform experiments with this rodent model, the details of the technique, and highlight possible pitfalls.

RESULTS

Owing to the specific issue-basic science-Oxford 2011 Levels of Evidence criteria cannot be applied. However, ESSM statements on this topic will be provided in which we summarize the ESSM position on various aspects of the model such as the use of the Animal Research Reporting In Vivo Experiments guideline and the of common range parameter for nerve stimulation. We also highlighted the translational limits of the model.

CONCLUSION

The following statements were formulated as a suggestive guidance for scientists using the cavernous nerve injury model. With this, we hope to standardize and further improve the quality of research in this field. It must be noted that this model has its limitations. Weyne E, Ilg MM, Cakir OO, et al. European Society for Sexual Medicine Consensus Statement on the Use of the Cavernous Nerve Injury Rodent Model to Study Postradical Prostatectomy Erectile Dysfunction. Sex Med 2020;8:327-337.

Prediction of pathological stage based on clinical stage, serum prostate-specific antigen, and biopsy Gleason score: Partin Tables in the contemporary era

OBJECTIVE

To update the Partin Tables for prediction of pathological stage in the contemporary setting and examine trends in patients treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) over the past three decades.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From January 2010 to October 2015, 4459 men meeting inclusion criteria underwent RP and pelvic lymphadenectomy for histologically confirmed prostate cancer at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Preoperative clinical stage, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, and biopsy Gleason score (i.e. prognostic Grade Group) were used in a polychotomous logistic regression model to predict the probability of pathological outcomes categorised as: organ-confined (OC), extraprostatic extension (EPE), seminal vesicle involvement (SV+), or lymph node involvement (LN+). Preoperative characteristics and pathological findings in men treated with RP since 1983 were collected and clinical-pathological trends were described.

RESULTS

The median (range) age at surgery was 60 (34-77) years and the median (range) PSA level was 4.9 (0.1-125.0) ng/mL. The observed probabilities of pathological outcomes were: OC disease in 74%, EPE in 20%, SV+ in 4%, and LN+ in 2%. The probability of EPE increased substantially when biopsy Gleason score increased from 6 (Grade Group 1, GG1) to 3 + 4 (GG2), with smaller increases for higher grades. The probability of LN+ was substantially higher for biopsy Gleason score 9-10 (GG5) as compared to lower Gleason scores. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curves for binary logistic models predicting EPE, SV+, and LN+ vs OC were 0.724, 0.856, and 0.918, respectively. The proportion of men treated with biopsy Gleason score ≤6 cancer (GG1) was 47%, representing a substantial decrease from 63% in the previous cohort and 77% in 2000-2005. The proportion of men with OC cancer has remained similar during that time, equalling 73-74% overall. The proportions of men with SV+ (4.1% from 3.4%) and LN+ (2.3% from 1.4%) increased relative to the preceding era for the first time since the Partin Tables were introduced in 1993.

CONCLUSIONS

The Partin Tables remain a straightforward and accurate approach for projecting pathological outcomes based on readily available clinical data. Acknowledging these data are derived from a tertiary care referral centre, the proportion of men with OC disease has remained stable since 2000, despite a substantial decline in the proportion of men with biopsy Gleason score 6 (GG1). This is consistent with the notion that many men with Gleason score 6 (GG1) disease were over treated in previous eras.

Active surveillance for prostate cancer: current evidence and contemporary state of practice

Prostate cancer remains one of the most commonly diagnosed malignancies worldwide. Early diagnosis and curative treatment seem to improve survival in men with unfavourable-risk cancers, but significant concerns exist regarding the overdiagnosis and overtreatment of men with lower-risk cancers. To this end, active surveillance (AS) has emerged as a primary management strategy in men with favourable-risk disease, and contemporary data suggest that use of AS has increased worldwide. Although published surveillance cohorts differ by protocol, reported rates of metastatic disease and prostate-cancer-specific mortality are exceedingly low in the intermediate term (5-10 years). Such outcomes seem to be closely associated with programme-specific criteria for selection, monitoring, and intervention, suggesting that AS--like other management strategies--could be individualized based on the level of risk acceptable to patients in light of their personal preferences. Additional data are needed to better establish the risks associated with AS and to identify patient-specific characteristics that could modify prognosis.