Prognostic factors for survival of patients with pathological Gleason score 7 prostate cancer: differences in outcome between primary Gleason grades 3 and 4

Quantifying the Effect of Location Matching on Accuracy of Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging Prior to Prostate Biopsy-A Multicentre Study

Background

Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) has shown promise to improve detection of prostate cancer over conventional methods. However, most studies do not describe whether the location of mpMRI lesions match that of cancer found at biopsy, which may lead to an overestimation of accuracy.

Objective

To quantitate the effect of mapping locations of mpMRI lesions to locations of positive biopsy cores on the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of mpMRI.

Design setting and participant

We retrospectively identified patients having mpMRI of the prostate preceding prostate biopsy at three centres from 2013 to 2016. Men with targetable lesions on imaging underwent directed biopsy in addition to systematic biopsy. We correlated locations of positive mpMRI lesions with those of positive biopsy cores, defining a match when both were in the same sector of the prostate. We defined positive mpMRI as Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) score ≥4 and significant cancer at biopsy as grade group ≥2.

Outcome measurements and statistical analysis

Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were calculated with and without location matching.

Results and limitations

Of 446 patients, 247 (55.4%) had positive mpMRI and 232 (52.0%) had significant cancer at biopsy. Sensitivity and NPV for detecting significant cancer with location matching (both 63.4%) were decreased compared with those without location matching (77.6% and 73.9%, respectively). Of the 85 significant cancers not detected by mpMRI, most were of grade group 2 (64.7%, 55/85).

Conclusions

We report a 10-15% decrease in sensitivity and NPV when location matching was used to detect significant prostate cancer by mpMRI. False negative mpMRI remains an issue, highlighting the continued need for biopsy and for improving the standards around imaging quality and reporting.

Patient summary

The true accuracy of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) must be determined to interpret results and better counsel patients. We mapped the location of positive mpMRI lesions to where cancer was found at biopsy and found, when compared with matching to cancer anywhere in the prostate, that the accuracy of mpMRI decreased by 10-15%.

Nomograms Predict Survival Advantages of Gleason Score 3+4 Over 4+3 for Prostate Cancer: A SEER-Based Study

Background: Different proportions of Gleason pattern 3 and Gleason pattern 4 lead to various prognosis of prostate cancer with Gleason score 7. The objective of this study was to compare the survival outcomes of Gleason score 3+4 and 4+3 based on data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer registry database, and to investigate independent prognosis-associated factors and develop nomograms for predicting survival in Gleason score 7 prostate cancer patients.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 69,116 cases diagnosed as prostate adenocarcinoma with Gleason score 7 between 2004 and 2009. Prognosis-associated factors were evaluated using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis, and a 1:1 ratio paired cohort by propensity score matching with the statistical software IBM SPSS, to evaluate prognostic differences between Gleason score 3+4 and 4+3. The primary cohort was randomly divided into training set (n = 48,384) and validation set (n = 20,732). Based on the independent factors of prognosis, nomograms for prognosis were established by the training group and validated by the validation group using R version 3.5.0.

Results: After propensity score matching, Cox regression analysis showed that Gleason 4+3 had an increased mortality risk both for overall survival (HR: 1.235, 95% CI: 1.179–1.294, P < 0.001) and cancer-specific survival (HR: 1.606, 95% CI: 1.468–1.762, P < 0.001). Nomograms for overall survival and cancer-specific survival were established with C-index 0.786 and 0.842, respectively. The calibration plot indicated an optimal agreement between the actual observation and nomogram prediction for overall survival and cancer-specific survival probability at 5 or 10 year.

Conclusions: Prostate cancer with Gleason score 4+3 had worse overall survival and cancer-specific survival than Gleason score 3+4. Nomograms were formulated to predict 5-year and 10-year OS and CSS in patients with prostate cancer of Gleason score 7.

Essential Updates in Grading, Morphotyping, Reporting, and Staging of Prostate Carcinoma for General Surgical Pathologists

CONTEXT.—

Within this decade, several important updates in prostate cancer have been presented through expert international consensus conferences and influential publications of tumor classification and staging.

OBJECTIVE.—

To present key updates in prostate carcinoma.

DATA SOURCES.—

The study comprised a review of literature and our experience from routine and consultation practices.

CONCLUSIONS.—

Grade groups, a compression of the Gleason system into clinically meaningful groups relevant in this era of active surveillance and multidisciplinary care management for prostate cancer, have been introduced. Refinements in the Gleason patterns notably result in the contemporarily defined Gleason score 6 cancers having a virtually indolent behavior. Grading of tertiary and minor higher-grade patterns in radical prostatectomy has been clarified. A new classification for prostatic neuroendocrine tumors has been promulgated, and intraductal, microcystic, and pleomorphic giant cell carcinomas have been officially recognized. Reporting the percentage of Gleason pattern 4 in Gleason score 7 cancers has been recommended, and data on the enhanced risk for worse prognosis of cribriform pattern are emerging. In reporting biopsies for active surveillance criteria-based protocols, we outline approaches in special situations, including variances in sampling or submission. The 8th American Joint Commission on Cancer TNM staging for prostate cancer has eliminated pT2 subcategorization and stresses the importance of nonanatomic factors in stage groupings and outcome prediction. As the clinical and pathology practices for prostate cancer continue to evolve, it is of utmost importance that surgical pathologists become fully aware of the new changes and challenges that impact their evaluation of prostatic specimens.

Increased HSF1 expression predicts shorter disease-specific survival of prostate cancer patients following radical prostatectomy

Prostate cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease and the clinical outcome is varying. While current prognostic tools are regarded insufficient, there is a critical need for markers that would aid prognostication and patient risk-stratification. Heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) is crucial for cellular homeostasis, but also a driver of oncogenesis. The clinical relevance of HSF1 in prostate cancer is, however, unknown. Here, we identified HSF1 as a potential biomarker in mRNA expression datasets on prostate cancer. Clinical validation was performed on tissue microarrays from independent cohorts: one constructed from radical prostatectomies from 478 patients with long term follow-up, and another comprising of regionally advanced to distant metastatic samples. Associations with clinical variables and disease outcomes were investigated. Increased nuclear HSF1 expression correlated with disease advancement and aggressiveness and was, independently from established clinicopathological variables, predictive of both early initiation of secondary therapy and poor disease-specific survival. In a joint model with the clinical Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment post-Surgical (CAPRA-S) score, nuclear HSF1 remained a predictive factor of shortened disease-specific survival. The results suggest that nuclear HSF1 expression could serve as a novel prognostic marker for patient risk-stratification on disease progression and survival after radical prostatectomy.

Prognostic Significance of Percentage and Architectural Types of Contemporary Gleason Pattern 4 Prostate Cancer in Radical Prostatectomy

The International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) 2014 consensus meeting recommended a novel grade grouping for prostate cancer that included dividing Gleason score (GS) 7 into grade groups 2 (GS 3+4) and 3 (GS 4+3). This division of GS 7, essentially determined by the percent of Gleason pattern (GP) 4 (< or >50%), raises the question of whether a more exact quantification of the percent GP 4 within GS 7 will yield additional prognostic information. Modifications were also made by ISUP regarding the definition of GP 4, now including 4 main architectural types: cribriform, glomeruloid, poorly formed, and fused glands. This study was conducted to analyze the prognostic significance of the percent GP 4 and main architectural types of GP 4 according to the 2014 ISUP grading criteria in radical prostatectomies (RPs). The cohort included 585 RP cases of GS 6 (40.2%), 3+4 (49.0%), and 4+3 (10.8%) prostate cancers. Significantly different 5-year biochemical recurrence (BCR)-free survival rates were observed among GS 6 (99%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 97%-100%), 3+4 (81%, 95% CI: 76%-86%), and 4+3 (60%, 95% CI: 45%-71%) cancers (P<0.01). Dividing the GP 4 percent into quartiles showed a 5-year BCR-free survival of 84% (95% CI: 78%-89%) for 1% to 20%, 74% (95% CI: 62%-83%) for 21% to 50%, 66% (95% CI: 50%-78%) for 51% to 70%, and 32% (95% CI: 9%-59%) for >70% (P<0.001). Among the GP 4 architectures, cribriform was the most prevalent (43.7%), and combination of architectures with cribriform present was more frequently observed in GS 4+3 (60.3%). Glomeruloid was mostly (67.1%) seen combined with other GP 4 architectures. Unlike the other GP 4 architectures, glomeruloid as the sole GP 4 was observed only as a secondary pattern (ie, 3+4). Among patients with GS 7 cancer, the presence of cribriform architecture was associated with decreased 5-year BCR-free survival when compared with GS 7 cancers without this architecture (68% vs. 85%, P<0.01), whereas the presence of glomeruloid architecture was associated with improved 5-year BCR-free survival when compared with GS 7 cancers without this architecture (87% vs. 75%, P=0.01). However, GS 7 disease having only the glomeruloid architecture had significantly lower 5-year BCR-free survival than GS 6 cancers (86% vs. 99%, P<0.01). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model for factors associated with BCR among GS 7 cancers identified age (hazard ratio [HR] 0.95, P<0.01), preoperative prostate-specific antigen (HR 1.07, P<0.01), positive surgical margin (HR 2.70, P<0.01), percent of GP 4 (21% to 50% [HR 2.21], 51% to 70% [HR 2.59], >70% [HR 6.57], all P<0.01), presence of cribriform glands (HR 1.78, P=0.02), and presence of glomeruloid glands (HR 0.43, P=0.03) as independent predictors. In conclusion, our study shows that increments in percent of GP 4 correlate with increased risk for BCR supporting the ISUP recommendation of recording the percent of GP 4 in GS 7 prostate cancers at RP. However, additional larger studies are needed to establish the optimal interval for reporting percent GP 4 in GS 7 cancers. Among the GP 4 architectures, cribriform independently predicts BCR, whereas glomeruloid reduces the risk of BCR. Distinction should be made between cribriform and glomeruloid architectures, despite glomeruloid being considered as an early stage of cribriform, as cribriform confers a higher risk for poorer outcome.

[The 2014 consensus conference of the ISUP on Gleason grading of prostatic carcinoma]

In 2005 the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) held a concensus conference on Gleason grading in order to bring this grading system up to the current state of contemporary practice; however, it became clear that further modifications on the grading of prostatic carcinoma were necessary. The International Society of Urological Pathology therefore held a further consensus conference in 2014 to clarify these points. This article presents the essential results of the Chicago grading meeting.

Validation of International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grading for prostatic adenocarcinoma in thin core biopsies using TROG 03.04 'RADAR' trial clinical data

In 2014 a consensus conference convened by the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) adopted amendments to the criteria for Gleason grading and scoring (GS) for prostatic adenocarcinoma. The meeting defined a modified grading system based on 5 grading categories (grade 1, GS 3+3; grade 2, GS 3+4; grade 3, GS 4+3; grade 4, GS 8; grade 5, GS 9-10). In this study we have evaluated the prognostic significance of ISUP grading in 496 patients enrolled in the TROG 03.04 RADAR Trial. There were 19 grade 1, 118 grade 2, 193 grade 3, 88 grade 4 and 79 grade 5 tumours in the series, with follow-up for a minimum of 6.5 years. On follow-up 76 patients experienced distant progression of disease, 171 prostate specific antigen (PSA) progression and 39 prostate cancer deaths. In contrast to the 2005 modified Gleason system (MGS), the hazards of the distant and PSA progression endpoints, relative to grade 2, were significantly greater for grades 3, 4 and 5 of the 2014 ISUP grading scheme. Comparison of predictive ability utilising Harrell's concordance index, showed 2014 ISUP grading to significantly out-perform 2005 MGS grading for each of the three clinical endpoints.

Revisiting tumour aneuploidy - the place of ploidy assessment in the molecular era

Chromosome instability (CIN) is gaining increasing interest as a central process in cancer. CIN, either past or present, is indicated whenever tumour cells harbour an abnormal quantity of DNA, termed 'aneuploidy'. At present, the most widely used approach to detecting aneuploidy is DNA cytometry - a well-known research assay that involves staining of DNA in the nuclei of cells from a tissue sample, followed by analysis using quantitative flow cytometry or microscopic imaging. Aneuploidy in cancer tissue has been implicated as a predictor of a poor prognosis. In this Review, we have explored this hypothesis by surveying the current landscape of peer-reviewed research in which DNA cytometry has been applied in studies with disease-appropriate clinical follow up. This area of research is broad, however, and we restricted our survey to results published since 2000 relating to seven common epithelial cancers (those of the breast; endometrium, ovary, and uterine cervix; oesophagus; colon and rectum; lung; prostate; and bladder). We placed particular emphasis on results from multivariate analyses to pinpoint situations in which the prognostic value of aneuploidy as a biomarker is strong compared with that of existing indicators, such as clinical stage, histological grade, and specific molecular markers. We summarize the implications of our findings for the prognostic use of ploidy analysis in the clinic and for the theoretical understanding of the role of CIN in carcinogenesis.

The Significance of Accurate Determination of Gleason Score for Therapeutic Options and Prognosis of Prostate Cancer

The Gleason score (GS) to date remains one of the most reliable prognostic predictors in prostate cancer (PCa). However, the majority of studies supporting its prognostic relevance were performed prior to its modification by the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) in 2005. Furthermore, the combination of Gleason grading and nuclear/nucleolar subgrading (Helpap score) has been shown to essentially improve grading concordance between biopsy and radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens. This prompted us to investigate the modified GS and combigrading (Gleason/Helpap score) in association with clinicopathological features, biochemical recurrence (BCR), and survival. Core needle biopsies and corresponding RP specimens from 580 patients diagnosed with PCa between 2005 and 2010 were evaluated. According to the modified GS, the comparison between biopsy and RP samples resulted in an upgrading from GS 6 to GS 7a and GS 7b in 65% and 19%, respectively. Combigrading further resulted in an upgrading from low grade (GS 6/2a) to intermediate grade PCa (GS 6/2b) in 11.1% and from intermediate grade (GS 6/2b) to high grade PCa (GS 7b/2b) in 22.6%. Overall, well-differentiated PCa (GS 6/2a) was detected in 2.8% of RP specimens, while intermediate grade (GS 6/2b and GS 7a/2b) and high grade cancers (≥ GS 7b) accounted for 39.5% and 57.4% of cases, respectively. At a mean follow-up of 3.9 years, BCR was observed in 17.6% of patients with intermediate (9.8%) or high grade PCa (30.2%), while PSA relapse did not occur in GS 6/2a PCa. In conclusion, adding nuclear/nucleolar subgrading to the modified GS allowed for a more accurate distinction between low and intermediate grade PCa, therefore offering a valuable tool for the identification of patients eligible for active surveillance (AS).

Prognostic value of seminal vesicle involvement due to prostate cancer in radical prostatectomy specimens

OBJECTIVE

To study the influence, in terms of prognosis, of the finding of seminal vesicle involvement in patients with prostate adenocarcinoma treated with radical prostatectomy.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

We reviewed a series of patients with seminal vesicle involvement with clinically localized prostate adenocarcinoma who underwent radical prostatectomy between 1989 and 2009, focusing on their clinical-pathological characteristics, biochemical progression-free survival (BPFS) and specific survival (SS). We assessed the variables that influenced BPFS and designed a risk model.

RESULTS

A total of 127 out of 1,132 patients who underwent surgery (11%) presented seminal vesicle invasion (i.e., pT3b). In the multivariate study of the entire series (Cox model), pT3b affects the BPFS (HR: 2; 95% CI: 1.4-3.3; P=.001). Other influential factors were the affected borders, initial prostate-specific antigen levels, pathological Gleason score and the presence of palpated tumor. The pT3b tumors have poorer clinical-pathological variables when compared with pT2 and pT3a tumors. Sixty-five percent of the patients evidenced biochemical progression. The BPFS was significantly poorer for pT3b (40 ± 4% and 28 ± 4% at 5 and 10 years, respectively) than for pT2 and pT3a (P<.0001). The SS was also poorer in patients with pT3b tumors (91 ± 2% and 76 ± 4% at 5 and 10 years, respectively) (P<.0001). The predictors within the pT3b patient group were: PSA levels >10 ng/mL (HR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.04-3.6; P=.04) and pathological Gleason score 8-10 (HR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.2-3.5; P=.03). We designed a risk model that accounts for the variables involved, which entails 2 groups with different BPFS (P=.004): Group 1 (0-1 variable), with a BPFS of 46 ± 7% and 27 ± 8% at 5 and 10 years, respectively; and Group 2 (2 variables), with a BPFS of 14 ± 7% and 5 ± 5% at 5 and 10 years, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Seminal vesicle involvement severely and negatively affects the BPFS and SS. We designed a risk model with the independent influential variables in BPFS (pathological Gleason score 8-10 and PSA levels >10 ng/mL). This model confirms that pT3b tumors are a heterogeneous group, which includes an important group with better prognosis when surgical treatment is performed.

TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion in prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

The TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion is one of the most widely spread chromosomal rearrangements in carcinomas. Since its discovery, a number of studies have examined its diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic implications for prostate cancer where suitable biomarkers are still lacking. The publication data are inconsistent. The aim of this review was to critically evaluate the current clinical impact of this gene fusion.

METHODS

The PubMed online database was used to search relevant reviews and original articles.

RESULTS

Although the TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion appears to be a suitable diagnostic biomarker, the prognostic implications of this gene fusion are still unclear. Several new strategies for therapeutically targeting ETS fusions and their modulators have been identified and are currently being investigated.

CONCLUSION

Due to the heterogeneity of prostate cancer, the combination of several biomarkers is necessary to accurately assess the presence of prostate cancer, predict its potential clinical outcome and decide on appropriate therapy (e.g. PARP inhibitors).

Ganglioside disialosyl globopentaosylceramide is an independent predictor of PSA recurrence-free survival following radical prostatectomy

BACKGROUND

Disialosyl globopentaosylceramide (DSGb5) is a ganglioside originally isolated from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) tissue that has been associated with RCC metastasis. However, in prostate cancer, the expression of DSGb5 has not yet been fully assessed. In this study, we investigated DSGb5 expression in prostate tissues and the relationship between DSGb5 expression and clinicopathological characteristics of prostate cancer patients.

METHODS

A total of 130 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) at our hospital between January 2005 and December 2007 were analyzed in this study. The expression of DSGb5 in prostatectomy specimens was examined by immunohistochemical analysis with monoclonal antibody 5F3 (anti-DSGb5). Associations between 5F3 expression and clinicopathological findings were investigated and the factors that affected PSA failure-free survival were assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis and a Cox regression model.

RESULTS

When immunoreactivities of 5F3 were measured, negative to strong staining was observed in prostate cancer tissue, whereas strong staining was observed in benign prostate glands. These expression patterns suggest that DSGb5 may act as a differentiation antigen in cancerization. The PSA failure-free survival was significantly higher in the 5F3 intact expression group than in the 5F3 reduced expression group (log-rank P=0.0220). On multivariate analysis, 5F3 intact expression showed significantly worse PSA failure-free survival following RP.

CONCLUSIONS

5F3 expression reflects the clinical and pathological features of prostate cancer and is correlated with the outcomes following RP. Further studies are necessary to clarify the functional roles of DSGb5 and establish a novel biomarker for prostate cancer.

The heterogeneous Gleason 7 carcinoma of the prostate: analyses of low and high grade (risk) carcinomas with criteria of the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP)

Prostate carcinoma (PCa) with Gleason score (GS) 7 has to be examined differentially regarding its prognosis. Using the criteria of ISUP and supplementations, we attempted to analyze the heterogeneity of PCa with GS 7 of biopsy and corresponding specimens of radical prostatectomies (RP). PCa of 530 patients were graded according to Gleason under additional consideration of the state of the nucleoli. Investigating the biopsy specimens, we determined the pattern of Gleason 4 of GS 7, the extension of the tumors in percent, and the number of biopsies containing tumor. In the corresponding specimens of RP, the grading and the state of TNM with margins were assessed. Carcinomas with GS 7 (4+3) in biopsy and RP specimens were unequivocally assigned to the group of high-grade tumors. Carcinomas with GS 7 (3+4) were significantly different from carcinomas with GS 6 when only few and small nucleoli in GS 6 were present (low grade type, p≤0.0001), but were similar to the GS 6 group when nucleoli were prominent (intermediary type, p=0.71). The intermediary group showed an upgrading rate of 36% from GS 6 to GS 7. Furthermore the correlation between organ-confined and non-organ-confined growth showed differences of 63% and 37% in the intermediary group (p=0.0001). The values of grading, staging, margins and metastases indicate that carcinomas of the prostate with the Gleason 3+4 pattern correspond to an intermediary group of carcinomas in contrast to high-grade (high risk) carcinomas with GS 7 and pattern 4+3.

Gleason grading of prostate cancer in needle core biopsies: a comparison of general and urologic pathologists

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The Gleason grading of prostate carcinoma (PCa) in needle core biopsies is a major determinant used in management planning. The objective of this study was to evaluate the concordance between general pathologists Gleason grading and that of a urologic pathologist in our community.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Retrospective review conducted at three tertiary care hospitals in Jeddah and Riyadh for all prostatic biopsies with carcinoma from January 2002 to January 2011.

METHODS

Gleason scores assigned by the original pathologist were compared with that of the reviewing urologic pathologists. Biopsies were originally obtained and diagnosed at different referring hospitals and independent laboratories. The kappa test was used to evaluate agreement between the original and review scores.

RESULTS

For 212 biopsies the exact concordance of the Gleason score assigned by the original pathologist and the reviewer was 38.7% (82/212). However, when grouped into the main four-score categories of 2-4, 5-6, 7, and 8 or greater, disagreement was noted in 88 (41.5%) biopsies; 87 were upgraded and 1 was downgraded on review. When grouped into two-score categories of low grade (≤6) and high grade (≥7), disagreement was noted in 32 (15%) of the biopsies.

CONCLUSION

Gleason grade score shows that there was only slight to fair agreement between outside and review scoring (kappa=0.43). When using only low versus high grade categorization, there was good agreement (kappa=0.69). Almost all of the cases with score disagreement were upgraded on review.

Addition of short-term androgen deprivation therapy to dose-escalated radiation therapy improves failure-free survival for select men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Dose-escalated (DE) radiation therapy (RT) and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) improve prostate cancer outcomes over standard-dose RT. The benefit of adding ADT to DE-RT for men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer (IR-PrCa) is uncertain.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We identified 636 men treated for IR-PrCa with DE-RT (>75Gy). The adult comorbidity evaluation-27 index classifed comorbidity. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests compared failure-free survival (FFS) with and without ADT.

RESULTS

Forty-five percent received DE-RT and 55% DE-RT with ADT (median 6 months). On Cox proportional hazard regression that adjusted for comorbidity and tumor characteristics, ADT improved FFS (adjusted hazard ratio 0.36; P = 0.004). Recursive partitioning analysis of men without ADT classified Gleason 4 + 3 = 7 or ≥50% positive cores as unfavorable disease. The addition of ADT to DE-RT improved 5-year FFS for men with unfavorable disease (81.6% versus 92.9%; P = 0.009) but did not improve FFS for men with favorable disease (96.3% versus 97.4%; P = 0.874). When stratified by comorbidity, ADT improved FFS for men with unfavorable disease and no or mild comorbidity (P = 0.006) but did not improve FFS for men with unfavorable disease and moderate or severe comorbidity (P = 0.380).

CONCLUSION

The addition of ADT to DE-RT improves FFS for men with unfavorable IR-PrCa, especially those with no or minimal comorbidity.

Biomarker research in prostate cancer--towards utility, not futility

The identification of an appropriate clinical question is critical for any biomarker project. Despite rapid advances in technology, few biomarkers have been forthcoming for prostate cancer. This could be because the clinical questions under investigation have not actually originated from clinical practice. These clinical questions are difficult to identify in the complex and heterogeneous pathogenesis of prostate cancer. In this Review, we have developed a prostate cancer 'roadmap' to identify the aspects of prostate cancer that may be amenable to biomarker discovery and serve as a guide for future projects in prostate cancer biomarker research.

Increased gene copy number of ERG on chromosome 21 but not TMPRSS2-ERG fusion predicts outcome in prostatic adenocarcinomas

The role of TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion in prostate cancer prognostication remains controversial. We evaluated the prognostic role of TMPRSS2-ERG fusion using fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis in a case-control study nested in The Johns Hopkins retropubic radical prostatectomy cohort. In all, 10 tissue microarrays containing paired tumors and normal tissues obtained from 172 cases (recurrence) and 172 controls (non-recurrence) matched on pathological grade, stage, race/ethnicity, and age at the time of surgery were analyzed. All radical prostatectomies were performed at our institution between 1993 and 2004. Recurrence was defined as biochemical recurrence, development of clinical evidence of metastasis, or death from prostate carcinoma. Each tissue microarray spot was scored for the presence of TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion and for ERG gene copy number gains. The odds ratio of recurrence and 95% confidence intervals were estimated from conditional logistic regression. Although the percentage of cases with fusion was slightly lower in cases than in controls (50 vs 57%), the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.20). The presence of fusion due to either deletion or split event was not associated with recurrence. Similarly, the presence of duplicated ERG deletion, duplicated ERG split, or ERG gene copy number gain with a single ERG fusion was not associated with recurrence. ERG gene polysomy without fusion was significantly associated with recurrence (odds ratio 2.0, 95% confidence interval 1.17-3.42). In summary, TMPRSS2-ERG fusion was not prognostic for recurrence after retropubic radical prostatectomy for clinically localized prostate cancer, although men with ERG gene copy number gain without fusion were twice more likely to recur.

Prognostic factors for the development of biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in Western countries and is associated with a considerable risk of mortality. Biochemical recurrence following radical prostatectomy is a relatively common finding, affecting approximately 25% of cases. The aim of our paper was to identify factors that can predict the occurrence of biochemical recurrence, so the patient can be properly counselled pre- and postoperatively. Medline review of the literatures was done followed by a group discussion on the chosen publications and their valuable influence. Preoperative serum total PSA and clinical stage, together with prostatectomy Gleason grade, tumour volume, and perineural and vascular invasions, were the most important variables found to influence outcome.

Primary Gleason grade 4 impact on biochemical recurrence after permanent interstitial brachytherapy in Japanese patients with low- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer

PURPOSE

To reveal a predictive factor for biochemical recurrence (BCR) after permanent prostate brachytherapy (PPB) using iodine-125 seed implantation in patients with localized prostate cancer classified as low or intermediate risk based on National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

From January 2004 to December 2009, 414 consecutive Japanese patients with clinically localized prostate cancer classified as low or intermediate risk based on the NCCN guidelines were treated with PPB. The clinical factors including pathological data reviewed by a central pathologist and follow-up data were prospectively collected. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to assess the factors associated with BCR.

RESULTS

Median follow-up was 36.5 months. The 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year BCR-free rates using the Phoenix definition were 98.3%, 96.0%, 91.6%, and 87.0%, respectively. On univariate analysis, the Gleason score, especially primary Gleason grade 4 in biopsy specimens, was a strong predicting factor (p < 0.0001), while age, initial prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, T stage, and minimal dose delivered to 90% of the prostate volume (D90) were insignificant. Multivariate analysis indicated that a primary Gleason grade 4 was the most powerful prognostic factor associated with BCR (hazard ratio = 6.576, 95% confidence interval, 2.597-16.468, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

A primary Gleason grade 4 carried a worse BCR prognosis than the primary grade 3 in patients treated with PPB. Therefore, the indication for PPB in patients with a Gleason sum of 4 + 3 deserves careful and thoughtful consideration.

Active surveillance in prostate cancer: the need to standardize

Active surveillance has been proposed as an option for patients with low-risk prostate cancer in order to reduce the effects caused by overdiagnosis. Delaying treatment and applying it only if there is evidence of progression requires a careful identification of these patients. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) serum levels lower than 10 μg/L and Gleason score lower than 7 are the main criteria used to select patients for active surveillance based on experience accumulated in the last two decades. In the selection of patients with active surveillance two points are taken into consideration: (a) Gleason score changes introduced by the Consensus Conference of 2005; (b) differences between assays in the measurement of PSA serum levels, in the selection of patients for active surveillance. Improving the accuracy of patient's selection for active surveillance requires that Gleason score reassignment must be taken into account, as well as the harmonization between PSA assays. The use of incorrect results leads to misclassification of patients, undermining the goals of active surveillance.

Epstein criteria for insignificant prostate cancer

Study Type - Prognosis (systematic review).

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

2b. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Overtreatment of prostate cancer is a major problem in contemporary urological practice. The Epstein Criteria reduces overtreatment by identifying insignificant prostate cancers that may be amenable to surveillance therapy. This systematic review of the Epstein Criteria validation studies provides a collective insight into the application and accuracy of the Epstein Criteria to predict for insignificant prostate cancer across different institutions and geographies.

OBJECTIVE

• To review the accuracy of the Epstein Criteria for insignificant prostate cancer and to explore the effect of the modified Gleason classification system on this system.

METHODS

• We searched PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Database using search terms 'Epstein Criteria', 'Prostate Cancer', 'Validation' and 'Insignificant Cancer' between 1994 to 2010 for validation articles. • These were divided into pre-2005 and post-2005 and concordances for organ-confined status, Gleason score ≤ 6 and insignificant cancer were analysed.

RESULTS

• A pre-2005 study showed concordance for insignificant prostate cancer, Gleason score ≤ 6 and organ-confined status at 84%, 90.3% and 91.6%, respectively. • Five post-2005 validation studies were concordant for insignificant cancer, Gleason score ≤ 6 and organ-confined status at 37-76%, 54.3-75.9% and 80.0-96.9%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

• The Epstein Criteria has a suboptimal accuracy for predicting for insignificant prostate cancer. • The modification to Gleason scoring may be responsible for a reduced accuracy over time. • However, significant heterogeneity in the validation studies means better quality validation studies are required.

Presence of high grade tertiary Gleason pattern upgrades the Gleason sum score and is inversely associated with biochemical recurrence-free survival

OBJECTIVES

Tumor heterogeneity is a common finding and led to realization of a tertiary Gleason component (TGC) in prostate cancer. In an attempt to further investigate its prognostic value, we analyzed the association of tertiary Gleason pattern in Gleason score ≤ 7 tumors with pathologic stage and biochemical disease-free survival.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 331 radical prostatectomy specimens were analyzed retrospectively. The primary, secondary, and the tertiary patterns were evaluated by reviewing all of the pathologic slides. TGC was defined as Gleason grade pattern 4 or 5 for Gleason score < 7 tumors and Gleason grade pattern 5 for Gleason score 7 tumors. The pathologic prognostic factors, (extraprostatic extension, seminal vesicle and lymph node invasion, surgical margin status) of Gleason score < 7, 3+4, and 4+3 tumors with or without TGC were compared. Biochemical recurrence-free survival (BRFS) was calculated using Kaplan-Meier method with log rank test, and the influence of TGC was assessed in a Cox regression model.

RESULTS

TGC observed more frequently with higher Gleason scores (21% of the GS < 7 cases, 23% of the GS 3+4 cases, and 58% of the GS 4+3 cases). In terms of adverse pathologic prognostic factors and BRFS, GS < 7 tumors with TGC behaved significantly worse than GS < 7 tumors without TGC (P = 0.01 and P = 0.001, respectively) with properties similar to GS 3+4 tumors without TGC. Gleason score 3+4 and 4+3 tumors without TGC were statistically similar and had better features than corresponding tumors of same Gleason score with TGC. Furthermore, Gleason score 7 tumors with TGC had similar features with GS 8-10 tumors. During follow-up, 73 (22%) subjects had PSA recurrence. In the Cox regression model TGC was an independent variable for BRFS (HR = 2.63, 95% CI = 1.39-4.98, P = 0.003).

CONCLUSION

According to the present study, 3 different prognostic groups were observed; good prognostic group: GS < 7, intermediate prognostic group: GS < 7+TGC, GS 3+4, and GS 4+3, and finally bad prognostic group: GS (3+4)+TGC, GS (4+3)+TGC, GS > 7. Presence of a TGC appears to upgrade the total score and adjuvant treatment decisions may further be refined by considering the tertiary pattern.

Gleason score concordance on biopsy-confirmed prostate cancer: is pathological re-evaluation necessary prior to radical prostatectomy?

OBJECTIVES

• Gleason sum from prostate biopsy (bGS) is an important tool in classifying severity of disease, ultimately influencing clinical management. • Commonly, pathology specimens are re-evaluated internally prior to surgery. • We evaluate agreement of bGS with prostatectomy Gleason sum (pGS) and the impact of re-grading on prediction of true underlying tumor architecture.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

• Retrospective analysis of men who underwent robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) by two surgeons from 2005-2009. Initial transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) biopsy demonstrated carcinoma at an outside lab. Specimens were re-evaluated by our GU pathologists prior to surgery. Biopsy data were correlated with pGS. • Kappa (κ) statistics for agreement and linear regression analyses were used for categorical variables. Coefficient of concordance was used for continuous variables.

RESULTS

• 100 patients had 331 positive biopsies. Agreement (κ) for bGS between outside labs and our pathologists was 0.55 (p < 0.001). • Internal read was twice as likely to upgrade vs. downgrade outside bGS (23% vs. 11%). • When re-evaluation resulted in a change in bGS, agreement with pGS was κ= 0.29, vs. κ=-0.04 for agreement of initial (outside) bGS with pGS. • When no change was made to bGS, agreement with pGS was κ= 0.40 (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

• Good reproducibility seen between outside labs and our institution on bGS. Internal pathology re-reads correlated better with pGS than original community bGS. When re-reads result in a change in bGS, there is a marked improvement in prediction of underlying tumor architecture confirming the value of re-evaluating all external biopsies prior to definitive surgery.

Prostate cancer specific mortality and Gleason 7 disease differences in prostate cancer outcomes between cases with Gleason 4 + 3 and Gleason 3 + 4 tumors in a population based cohort

PURPOSE

Reports of biochemical recurrence after prostate cancer primary therapy show differences between Gleason 4 + 3 and 3 + 4 tumors. To our knowledge these findings have not been explored for prostate cancer specific mortality. In this population based cohort we determined prostate cancer outcomes at different Gleason scores, particularly the different Gleason 7 patterns.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Men 40 to 64 years old who were diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1993 and 1996 in King County, Washington comprised the cohort. Recurrence/progression was determined by followup survey and medical record review. Mortality and cause of death were obtained from the Seattle-Puget Sound Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results registry. HRs for outcomes were determined by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis.

RESULTS

In 753 men with prostate cancer 65 prostate cancer specific deaths occurred during a median followup of 13.2 years. The 10-year prostate cancer specific survival rate for Gleason 6 or less, 3 + 4, 4 + 3 and 8-10 disease was 98.4%, 92.1%, 76.5% and 69.9%, respectively. Compared to patients with Gleason 3 + 4 disease those with Gleason 4 + 3 tumors were at increased risk for prostate cancer specific mortality in the unadjusted and multivariate models (HR 2.80, 95% CI 1.26-6.18 and HR 2.12, 95% CI 0.87-5.17, respectively). In men undergoing curative therapy with radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy there was an increased risk of recurrence/progression (HR 2.10, 95% CI 1.08-4.08) and prostate cancer specific mortality (HR 3.17, 95% CI 1.04-9.67) in those with Gleason 4 + 3 vs 3 + 4 tumors in the multivariate models. No difference in prostate cancer specific mortality was seen between Gleason 4 + 3 and 8-10 tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

Gleason 7 prostate cancer shows heterogeneous behavior with Gleason 3 + 4 and 4 + 3 tumors conferring different prostate cancer specific mortality. These data provide important information for counseling patients with Gleason 7 prostate cancer on the natural history of the disease and may inform treatment decisions.

TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion status in minute (minimal) prostatic adenocarcinoma

Minute prostatic adenocarcinomas are considered to be of insufficient virulence. Given recent suggestions of TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion association with aggressive prostatic adenocarcinoma, we evaluated the incidence of TMPRSS2-ERG fusion in minute prostatic adenocarcinomas. A total of 45 consecutive prostatectomies with minute adenocarcinoma were used for tissue microarray construction. A total of 63 consecutive non-minimal, Gleason Score 6 tumors, from a separate PSA Era prostatectomy tissue microarray, were used for comparison. FISH was carried out using ERG break-apart probes. Tumors were assessed for fusion by deletion (Edel) or split (Esplit), duplicated fusions and low-level copy number gain in normal ERG gene locus. Minute adenocarcinomas: Fusion was evaluable in 32/45 tumors (71%). Fifteen out of 32 (47%) tumors were positive for fusion. Six (19%) were of the Edel class and 7 (22%) were classified as combined Edel+Esplit. Non-minute adenocarcinomas (pT2): Fusion was identified in 20/30 tumors (67%). Four (13%) were of Edel class and 5 (17%) were combined Edel+Esplit. Duplicated fusions were encountered in 5 (16%) tumors. Non-minute adenocarcinomas (pT3): Fusion was identified in 19/33 (58%). Fusion was due to a deletion in 6 (18%) tumors. Seven tumors (21%) were classified as combined Edel+Esplit. One tumor showed Esplit alone. Duplicated fusions were encountered in 3 (9%) cases. The incidence of duplicated fusions was higher in non-minute adenocarcinomas (13 vs 0%; P=0.03). A trend for higher incidence of low-level copy number gain in normal ERG gene locus without fusion was noted in non-minute adenocarcinomas (10 vs 0%; P=0.07). We found a TMPRSS2-ERG fusion rate of 47% in minute adenocarcinomas. The latter is not significantly different from that of grade matched non-minute adenocarcinomas. The incidence of duplicated fusion was higher in non-minute adenocarcinomas. Our finding of comparable rate of TMPRSS2-ERG fusion in minute adenocarcinomas may argue against its value as a marker of aggressive prostate carcinoma phenotype.

Gleason score and lethal prostate cancer: does 3 + 4 = 4 + 3?

PURPOSE Gleason grading is an important predictor of prostate cancer (PCa) outcomes. Studies using surrogate PCa end points suggest outcomes for Gleason score (GS) 7 cancers vary according to the predominance of pattern 4. These studies have influenced clinical practice, but it is unclear if rates of PCa mortality differ for 3 + 4 and 4 + 3 tumors. Using PCa mortality as the primary end point, we compared outcomes in Gleason 3 + 4 and 4 + 3 cancers, and the predictive ability of GS from a standardized review versus original scoring. PATIENTS AND METHODS Three study pathologists conducted a blinded standardized review of 693 prostatectomy and 119 biopsy specimens to assign primary and secondary Gleason patterns. Tumor specimens were from PCa patients diagnosed between 1984 and 2004 from the Physicians' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Lethal PCa (n = 53) was defined as development of bony metastases or PCa death. Hazard ratios (HR) were estimated according to original GS and standardized GS. We compared the discrimination of standardized and original grading with C-statistics from models of 10-year survival. Results For prostatectomy specimens, 4 + 3 cancers were associated with a three-fold increase in lethal PCa compared with 3 + 4 cancers (95% CI, 1.1 to 8.6). The discrimination of models of standardized scores from prostatectomy (C-statistic, 0.86) and biopsy (C-statistic, 0.85) were improved compared to models of original scores (prostatectomy C-statistic, 0.82; biopsy C-statistic, 0.72). CONCLUSION Ignoring the predominance of Gleason pattern 4 in GS 7 cancers may conceal important prognostic information. A standardized review of GS can improve prediction of PCa survival.

Radiotherapy and survival in prostate cancer patients: a population-based study

PURPOSE

To investigate the association of overall and disease-specific survival with the five standard treatment modalities for prostate cancer (CaP): radical prostatectomy (RP), brachytherapy (BT), external beam radiotherapy, androgen deprivation therapy, and no treatment (NT) within 6 months after CaP diagnosis.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

The study population included 10,179 men aged 65 years and older with incident CaP diagnosed between 1999 and 2001. Using the linked Ohio Cancer Incidence Surveillance System, Medicare, and death certificate files, overall and disease-specific survival through 2005 among the five clinically accepted therapies were analyzed.

RESULTS

Disease-specific survival rates were 92.3% and 23.9% for patients with localized vs. distant disease at 7 years, respectively. Controlling for age, race, comorbidities, stage, and Gleason score, results from the Cox multiple regression models indicated that the risk of CaP-specific death was significantly reduced in patients receiving RP or BT, compared with NT. For localized disease, compared with NT, in the monotherapy cohort, RP and BT were associated with reduced hazard ratios (HR) of 0.25 and 0.45 (95% confidence intervals 0.13-0.48 and 0.23-0.87, respectively), whereas in the combination therapy cohort, HR were 0.40 (0.17-0.94) and 0.46 (0.27-0.80), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The present population-based study indicates that RP and BT are associated with improved survival outcomes. Further studies are warranted to improve clinical determinates in the selection of appropriate management of CaP and to improve predictive modeling for which patient subsets may benefit most from definitive therapy vs. conservative management and/or observation.

Preoperative prediction of multifocal prostate cancer and application of focal therapy: review 2007

Prostate cancer is a leading malignancy among men. Early prostate cancer is most commonly treated with radical surgery and radiotherapy. In the era of prostate-specific antigen and newly emerging highly specific screening tests, a greater number of men are given a diagnosis earlier in life, and disease is more often confined. Less-invasive treatments, such as focal therapy, are becoming increasingly popular, yielding shorter hospital stays, faster recovery, and fewer complications. Potential drawbacks to focal therapy include the risk of incomplete treatment, which may result from missed cancer foci and inadequate ablation to target tissues. Furthermore, this approach is not universally applicable to all patients--for example, those who have periurethral and extraprostatic extension of the tumor may not benefit from focal treatment. This article reviews the importance of multifocal prostate cancer and the application of focal treatment.

Identification of patients with low-risk for aneuploidy: comparative discriminatory models using linear and machine-learning classifiers in prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Prostate needle biopsy (PNB) ploidy status has proven utility to predict adverse outcomes after prostatectomy. We sought to develop models to predict ploidy status using clinicopathologic variables.

METHODS

We identified a cohort of 169 patients with a diagnosis of prostatic adenocarcinoma on PNB, and estimated ploidy status (determined using Feulgen stained biopsy tissue) using four predictors, including age, prebiopsy PSA, highest Gleason score (GS), and the percentage of involvement by carcinoma at the biopsy site with the highest GS (PCARBX). Logistic regression (LR), Neural Network (NN), and CART classifiers were constructed.

RESULTS

Univariate analyses revealed all four predictors to be significantly associated with ploidy status. On multivariable analyses, LR identified a 2-parameter model, including GS and PCARBX that had a significant ability to predict ploidy status with a 74% and 75% correct classification rate (CCR), respectively. Using the same variables, CART and NN yielded similar CCRs of 70.4%. Within GS = 6 cohort, the CART model classified over 90% of biopsies as diploid when patients had a PCARBX < 55% and a log(PSA) < 1.7.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrates that models using GS and PCARBX are able to predict PNB ploidy status with acceptable accuracy. While machine learning classifier-derived models yield similar accuracy as LR-derived models, the latter methodology has the distinct advantage of being applicable in future datasets to estimate case-specific predictions. This information may be useful in identifying potentially aneuploid patients, who can then be targeted for more aggressive therapy.

Should We Replace the Gleason Score with the Amount of High-Grade Prostate Cancer?

OBJECTIVES

The stage and grade shift of currently diagnosed prostate cancer has led to a diminished prognostic power of the Gleason score system. We investigated the predictive value of the amount of high-grade cancer (Gleason growth patterns 4/5) in the biopsy for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and clinical relapse after radical prostatectomy.

METHODS

PSA-tested participants (N=281) of the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) who underwent radical prostatectomy were analyzed. Besides clinical features, and serum-PSA, histopathologic features as determined in the diagnostic biopsy and matching radical prostatectomy specimen were related to patient outcome.

RESULTS

At a median follow-up of 7 yr, 39 (13.9%), 24 (8.5%), and 12 (4.3%) patients had PSA >/=0.1 ng/ml, PSA >/=1.0 ng/ml, and clinical relapse after radical prostatectomy, respectively. Using Cox proportional hazards, PSA level (p=0.002), length of tumour (p=0.040), and length of high-grade cancer (p=0.006) in the biopsy, but not Gleason score, were independent prognostic factors for biochemical relapse (PSA >/=0.1 ng/ml) when assessed as continuous variables. In radical prostatectomies, the proportion of high-grade cancer (p<0.001) was most predictive of relapse (PSA >/=0.1 ng/ml). For PSA >/=1.0 ng/ml and clinical relapse, the amount of high-grade cancer, both in the biopsy specimen (p=0.016 and p=0.004, respectively) and radical prostatectomy specimen (p=0.002 and p=0.005, respectively), but not Gleason score, was an independent predictor.

CONCLUSIONS

In biopsy and radical prostatectomy specimens of surgically treated prostate cancer, the amount of high-grade cancer is superior to the Gleason grading system in predicting patient outcome. We propose that, in addition to the Gleason score, the amount of Gleason growth patterns 4/5 in the biopsy (whether absolute length or proportion) should be mentioned in the pathology report.

Adenocarcinoma of the prostate in Iceland: a population-based study of stage, Gleason grade, treatment and long-term survival in males diagnosed between 1983 and 1987

OBJECTIVE

To investigate adenocarcinoma of the prostate in a single population with an extended follow-up period.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Using the Icelandic Cancer Registry, we identified all Icelandic men diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1983 and 1987. Disease stage, initial treatment and follow-up information were obtained from hospital records and death certificates. A critical evaluation was made of the accuracy of the death certificates regarding prostate cancer. All available histology information was reviewed and graded according to the Gleason grading system.

RESULTS

A total of 414 men were diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Of these, 370 were alive at the time of diagnosis and stage could be determined. Four stage groups were defined: focal incidental (n=50); localized (n=164); local advanced (n=32); and metastatic disease (n=124). The mean age at diagnosis was 74.4 years (range 53-94 years). The combined Gleason score was 2-5 in 89, 6-7 in 117, 8-10 in 117 and unknown in 47 cases. The median follow-up period for the group was 6.15 years (range 0.3-19.8 years). Thirty men received treatment with curative intent: radiation therapy, n=20; and radical prostatectomy, n=10. A total of 334 patients died during the follow-up period, of whom 168 (50%) died of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer-specific survival at 10 and 15 years was 100% and 90.6%, respectively for focal incidental cancer; 73.1% and 60.8% for men with localized disease; 23.4% and 11.7% for local advanced disease; and 6.81% and 5.45% for metastatic disease. A Cox multivariate analysis showed age, stage and Gleason score to be independent predictors of prostate cancer death. A total of 104 patients with localized disease and a Gleason score of <or=7 received deferred treatment. The cause-specific survival for this group was 95.6%, 86.5% and 79.2% at 5, 10 and 15 years, respectively. Death certificates were judged to be accurate with regard to prostate cancer in nearly all instances (96%).

CONCLUSIONS

During an extended follow-up period, half of all patients with prostate cancer died from the disease. Males with localized disease and a favorable tumor grade fared well with deferred treatment. However, a higher stage and grade were associated with substantial prostate cancer mortality. Death certificates were accurate as far as prostate cancer was concerned.

Percentage of Gleason pattern 4 and 5 predicts survival after radical prostatectomy

BACKGROUND

Morphologic and clinical heterogeneity within tumor grades is well recognized in prostate cancer. The objective of the current study was to determine whether the combined percentage of Gleason patterns 4 and 5 in radical prostatectomy specimens is an independent predictor of cancer-specific survival in prostate cancer patients.

METHODS

The radical prostatectomy specimens were analyzed from 504 consecutive prostate cancer patients who were treated at Indiana University Medical Center between 1990 and 1998. Various clinical and pathologic characteristics were analyzed.

RESULTS

A higher combined percentage of Gleason patterns 4 and 5 was associated with older age, higher preoperative serum prostate-specific antigen level, higher pathologic stage, positive surgical margins, extraprostatic extension of tumor, higher Gleason score, perineural invasion, and lymph node metastasis. In the multivariate Cox regression model, the combined percentage of Gleason patterns 4 and 5 was found to be an independent predictor of cancer-specific survival (P = .04).

CONCLUSIONS

The combined percentage of Gleason patterns 4 and 5 is a powerful predictor of prostate cancer-specific survival. Assessment of high-grade cancer amounts may allow for better stratification of patients into appropriate prognostic groups and treatment protocols.

Morphometric sum optical density as a surrogate marker for ploidy status in prostate cancer: an analysis in 180 biopsies using logistic regression and binary recursive partitioning

We sought to identify morphometric descriptors predictive of nondiploidy in prostatic adenocarcinoma on prostate needle biopsies using logistic regression (LR) and binary recursive partitioning (BRP) and compare the equivalence of both methods. A total of 180 prostate needle biopsies diagnosed as prostatic adenocarcinoma were selected. Deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy and morphometry were performed separately on Feulgen-stained sections from these biopsies using the CAS-200 system and Nuclear Morphometry Suite, respectively. Seven morphometric predictors were tested as predictor variables, including nuclear area, circularity, elongation, sum optical density (OD), configuration run length, coefficient of variation (CV), and angularity. Logistic regression (LR) identified a two-parameter model including sum OD and circularity that had a 93.9% overall correct prediction rate (area under curve=0.950; 95% CI: 0.913, 0.987). A reduced model including only sum OD was equally good without any significant loss of predictive accuracy (93.3% correct overall classification rate). BRP also selected sum OD as the most predictive parameter; a sum OD cut-off of 7.73 in this model identified 93.3% of the nondiploid cases correctly. Morphometric OD can be used as a surrogate marker of nondiploidy. LR and BRP models are both equivalent in identifying and correctly classifying nondiploid cases of prostate cancer using sum OD as the predictor variable.

A study on staging bone scans in newly diagnosed prostate cancer

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the role of bone scan as a staging investigation in newly diagnosed untreated prostate cancers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Bone scan results in patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer were reviewed and correlated with clinical stage, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and Gleason scores from the biopsy specimen.

RESULTS

In all, 124 patients fulfilled inclusion criteria with an age range of 51-94 (mean 72.3) years. Pre-biopsy PSA ranged from 2.2 to 5,864 with a median of 21.1 ng/ml. Clinical stage was T0-T1c 14.5%, T2a 41.9%, T2b 17.7%, T3 16.9%, and T4 9%. A Gleason score of 7 was found in 31%. Four patients' samples were not suitable for Gleason scoring. Twenty patients (16.1%) had a positive bone scan with a mean age of 79.4 years (median 83). Two patients with PSA<20 ng/ml were positive. Of the 44 scans performed in the patients with PSA<or=20 ng/ml, clinical stage<T4 and Gleason sum<or=7 (with the major Gleason<4), none was positive. The above criteria give a 100% negative predictive value for avoiding bone scans as a staging investigation.

CONCLUSIONS

Staging bone scan can be safely omitted in patients with a clinical stage of <T4, PSA level of <or=20 ng/ml and a Gleason score of <or=7 (with major Gleason pattern<4) unless the symptoms are suggestive of metastasis.

Tertiary Gleason Pattern 5 is a Powerful Predictor of Biochemical Relapse in Patients With Gleason Score 7 Prostatic Adenocarcinoma

PURPOSE

In radical prostatectomy specimens Gleason score 7 is among the most commonly assigned scores for prostate carcinoma accounting for 30% to 50% of cases. Gleason score 7 is different from other more differentiated prostate carcinomas (tumors of Gleason scores 5 and 6) with a significantly worse outcome and higher rate of recurrence. Nonetheless, Gleason score 7 tumors are heterogeneous. In this study we examined the differences in clinical outcome between primary Gleason grade 3 and 4 tumors in patients who underwent radical prostatectomy, and determined the influence of tertiary Gleason pattern 5 on patient outcome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 504 patients underwent radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer and 228 of the patients (45%) had a Gleason score of 7. Cases were analyzed for a variety of clinical and pathological parameters. The influence of primary Gleason pattern and tertiary Gleason pattern 5 on patient outcome was assessed in the Cox regression model.

RESULTS

Among 228 patients with Gleason score 7 prostatic adenocarcinoma, 91 (40%) had a primary Gleason pattern 4 and 137 (60%) had primary Gleason pattern 3. Patients of the former group were more likely to have a higher pathological stage (p = 0.003), more likely to have PSA recurrence (p = 0.02) and more likely to have a tertiary Gleason pattern 5 (p <0.0001). A total of 37 (41%) patients with primary Gleason 4 had a tertiary Gleason pattern 5, whereas only 13 (9%) patients with primary Gleason 3 had a tertiary Gleason pattern 5. In the Cox regression model controlling for tumor stage and surgical margin status, the primary Gleason pattern was not an independent predictor of PSA recurrence (p = 0.80), whereas the presence of tertiary Gleason pattern 5 was a significant predictor of PSA recurrence (hazard ratio 2.10, 95% CI 1.24-3.55, p = 0.006). Five-year PSA recurrence-free survival was 70% for patients without a tertiary Gleason pattern 5 compared to 19% for those patients with a tertiary Gleason pattern 5.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with Gleason score 7, primary Gleason grade 4 indicates a likelihood of higher tumor stage and higher probability of PSA recurrence than does primary pattern 3. However, it does not independently predict a worse outcome after controlling for other known prognostic parameters associated with disease progression. Regardless of whether the primary Gleason pattern is 3 or 4, a tertiary Gleason pattern 5 is the strongest predictor of a worse outcome in patients with Gleason grade 7 prostatic adenocarcinoma. Therefore, tertiary pattern 5 should be reported in radical prostatectomy specimens.

Long-term prognostic significance of primary Gleason pattern in patients with Gleason score 7 prostate cancer: impact on prostate cancer specific survival

PURPOSE

We determined the long-term clinical significance of primary Gleason pattern in patients with Gleason score 7 prostate cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed the records of all patients who underwent bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection and radical retropubic prostatectomy for Gleason score 7 prostate cancer at our institution. All patients who underwent adjuvant hormonal or radiation therapy were excluded from analysis. Patients were monitored for biochemical failure, that is PSA progression, systemic recurrence and cancer specific survival.

RESULTS

We identified 1,688 patients who met admission criteria, of whom 1,256 (74.4%) had primary Gleason pattern 3 and 432 (25.6%) had primary Gleason pattern 4. Median followup was 6.9 years. At 10 years primary Gleason pattern 3 was associated with increased biochemical recurrence-free survival (48% vs 38%, p <0.001), lower systemic recurrence (8% vs 15%, p <0.001) and higher cancer specific survival (97% vs 93%, p = 0.013) for Gleason primary grades 3 and 4, respectively. All of these end points remained significant on multivariate analysis when controlling for preoperative PSA, seminal vesicle involvement, margin status, DNA ploidy and TNM staging. PSA doubling time was shorter in patients with primary Gleason pattern 4 (1.64 vs 1.01 years). Systemic recurrence and cancer specific survival were associated with a PSA doubling time of less than 1 year.

CONCLUSIONS

Gleason score 7 prostate cancer is a heterogeneous entity. We should continue to stratify patients according to primary Gleason pattern. Patients with Gleason score 4 + 3 prostate cancer have more aggressive disease and experience higher rates of biochemical failure, systemic recurrence and cancer specific death.

Relationship between primary Gleason pattern on needle biopsy and clinicopathologic outcomes among men with Gleason score 7 adenocarcinoma of the prostate

OBJECTIVES

To examine the relationship among needle biopsy primary grade, prostatectomy grade, and postprostatectomy biochemical recurrence among men with Gleason score 7 disease.

METHODS

We identified 320 men with Gleason score 7 tumors on prostate biopsy treated with radical prostatectomy between 1991 and 2001 by a single surgeon. None of these patients had received neoadjuvant or adjuvant hormonal therapy or radiotherapy. The chi-square test and Kaplan-Meier method were used to evaluate the correlation among biopsy Gleason score, prostatectomy Gleason score, and biochemical recurrence.

RESULTS

A total of 252 (79%) and 68 (21%) men had primary Gleason pattern 3 and 4 identified on needle biopsy, respectively. Of the patients with Gleason pattern 3 + 4 tumors on biopsy, 24% were upgraded to primary pattern 4 or more on final pathologic analysis. Of the patients with Gleason pattern 4 + 3 tumors on biopsy, 47% were downgraded to primary pattern 3 or less on final pathologic analysis. The actuarial risk of biochemical prostate-specific antigen recurrence was significantly lower among patients with Gleason pattern 4 + 3 on biopsy, if the prostatectomy Gleason score was downgraded to 3 + 4 or less (P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately 47% of men with a diagnosis of Gleason pattern 4 + 3 on needle biopsy are downgraded at radical prostatectomy and will have biochemical prostate-specific antigen recurrence-free outcomes similar to patients originally diagnosed with Gleason pattern 3 + 4 adenocarcinoma. This group of patients may benefit from definitive treatment such as radical prostatectomy for management of their disease.

Impact of the percentage of positive biopsy cores on the further stratification of primary grade 3 and grade 4 Gleason score 7 tumors in radical prostatectomy patients

OBJECTIVES

To examine whether the percentage of core biopsies positive can further stratify Gleason score 7 patients with primary Gleason grade into precise prognostic groups.

METHODS

Between 1991 and 1999, 379 radical prostatectomy patients were found to have pathologic Gleason 7 tumors. The patients were divided into primary grade 3 or 4. Percentage positive was calculated by dividing the number of positive core biopsies by the total number of cores.

RESULTS

In the cohort, 290 tumors were primary grade 3, and 89 were primary grade 4. On univariate analysis patients with primary grade 3 tumors had a significant prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression-free survival advantage over grade 4 patients. When separated according to percentage of core biopsies positive, statistical analysis revealed significantly better 60-month actuarial PSA progression-free survival for patients with grade 3 and grade 4 and less than 50% core biopsies positive as compared with grade 3 and grade 4 and 50% or more core biopsies positive (85%, 85%, 61%, and 33%, respectively). Furthermore, multivariate analysis demonstrated that primary grade did not have an independent impact on biochemical progression-free survival. However, on subset analysis, among patients with 50% or more biopsy cores positive, primary Gleason grade was indeed found to have a significant, independent impact.

CONCLUSIONS

In the present study Gleason 7 patients with primary grade 4 tumors and less than 50% of biopsy cores positive had an excellent prognosis after radical prostatectomy. Our data suggest that among Gleason 7 patients, the percentage of positive biopsies is a stronger predictor of biochemical progression-free survival than primary Gleason grade.

Gleason grading and volume estimation in prostate needle biopsy specimens: evolving issues

The Gleason grading system for prostate cancer is a powerful tool that can help choose therapy and predict outcome for patients. The clinical use and problem areas of the Gleason grading system are reviewed. The issues discussed include grade discrepancies between prostate biopsy and resection specimens, grading small foci of tumor, diagnosing and grading cribriform lesions, reporting the grade when 3 grades of cancer are present in a specimen, and assignment of grade when multiple cores of differing grades are present. Finally, differing ways of communicating tumor volume and the percentage of high-grade carcinoma in prostate biopsy cores are considered.

The Combined Percentage of Gleason Patterns 4 and 5 Is the Best Predictor of Cancer Progression After Radical Prostatectomy

Purpose

Clinical outcome is variable in prostate cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy. The Gleason histologic grade of prostatic adenocarcinoma is one of the strongest predictors of biologic aggressiveness of prostate cancer. We evaluated the significance of the relative proportion of high-grade cancer (Gleason patterns 4 and/or 5) in predicting cancer progression in prostate cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy.

Patients and Methods

Radical prostatectomy specimens from 364 consecutive prostate cancer patients were totally embedded and whole mounted. Various clinical and pathologic characteristics were analyzed. All pathologic data, including Gleason grading variables, were collected prospectively.

Results

A multiple-factor analysis was performed that included the combined percentage of Gleason patterns 4 and 5, Gleason score, tumor stage, surgical margin status, preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA), extraprostatic extension, and total tumor volume. Using Cox regression analysis with bootstrap resampling for predictor selection, we identified the combined percentage of Gleason patterns 4 and 5 (P < .0001) and total tumor volume (P = .009) as significant predictors of PSA recurrence.

Conclusion

The combined percentage of Gleason patterns 4 and 5 is one of the most powerful predictors of patient outcome, and appears superior to conventional Gleason score in identifying patients at increased risk of disease progression. On the basis of our results, we recommend that the combined percentage of Gleason patterns 4 and 5 be evaluated in radical prostatectomy specimens. The amount of high-grade cancer in a prostatectomy specimen should be taken into account in therapeutic decision making and assessment of patient prognosis.

Gleason score and pretreatment prostate-specific antigen in survival among patients with stage D2 prostate cancer

Although multiple studies have addressed the prognostic importance of tumor differentiation in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer, few data are available in patients with metastatic disease. We evaluated and compared survival data in two groups of men with Whitmore stage D2 metastatic prostate cancer initially treated with hormonal therapy. A series of 76 patients with D2 metastatic disease were evaluated and treated at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in conjunction with an additional cohort of 141 patients from the Louisiana State University School of Medicine (LSU). Pathological specimens were classified according to the Gleason score. Fifty-two (25%) of the combined NCI/LSU specimens had a Gleason score of 6 or less, 71 (34%) had a value of 7, and remaining 87 (41%) had scores between 8 and 10. The median PSA at the time of diagnosis for the NCI patients was 294.2 ng/ml. Time to treatment failure was defined as the time that a greater than 50% increase above nadir PSA was noted. In neither group was Gleason score correlated with overall survival. There was no association between the time to progression following hormone therapy and primary tumor Gleason score. The PSA concentration at the time of diagnosis was not correlated with the Gleason score for the NCI patients; however, there was an inverse correlation between pretreatment PSA level and time to progression following hormonal ablation. Gleason score does not appear to impact survival in metastatic prostate cancer. PSA as a marker of the biological behavior in metastatic disease may also be limited. These findings should be reevaluated in larger, better matched cohorts. Novel techniques such as serum proteomics, microarrays, and metastatic cell isolation methods may better predict outcome in advanced prostate cancer.