Are men who undergo radical prostatectomy with lower urinary tract symptoms at an increased risk for aggressive prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer outcomes for men who present with symptoms at diagnosis

OBJECTIVE

To compare clinical features, treatments and outcomes in men with non-metastatic prostate cancer (PCa) according to whether they were referred for symptoms or elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This study used data from the South Australia Prostate Cancer Clinical Outcomes Collaborative database; a multi-institutional clinical registry covering both the public and private sectors. We included all non-metastatic cases from 1998 to 2013 referred for urinary/prostatic symptoms or elevated PSA level. Multivariate Poisson regression was used to identify characteristics associated with symptomatic presentation and compare treatments according to reason for referral. Outcomes (i.e. overall survival, PCa-specific survival, metastasis-free survival and disease-free survival) were compared using multivariate Cox proportional hazards and competing risk regression.

RESULTS

Our analytical cohort consisted of 4 841 men with localized PCa. Symptomatic men had lower-risk disease (incidence ratio [IR] 0.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.61-0.81 for high vs low risk), fewer radical prostatectomies (IR 0.64, CI: 0.56-0.75) and less radiotherapy (IR 0.86, CI: 0.77-0.96) than men presenting with elevated PSA level. All-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.31, CI: 1.16-1.47), disease-specific mortality (HR 1.42, CI: 1.13-1.77) and risk of metastases (HR 1.36, CI: 1.13-1.64) were higher for men presenting with symptoms, after adjustment for other clinical characteristics; however, risk of disease progression did not differ (HR 0.90, CI: 0.74-1.07) amongst those treated curatively. Subgroup analyses indicated poorer PCa survival for symptomatic referral among men undergoing radical prostatectomy (HR 3.4, CI: 1.3-8.8), those aged >70 years (HR 1.4, CI: 1.0-1.8), men receiving private treatment (HR 2.1, CI: 1.3-3.3), those diagnosed via biopsy (HR 1.3, CI: 1.0-1.7) and those diagnosed before 2006 (HR 1.6, CI: 1.2-2.7).

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that symptomatic presentation may be an independent negative prognostic indicator for PCa survival. More complete assessment of disease grade and extent, more definitive treatment and increased post-treatment monitoring among symptomatic cases may improve outcomes. Further research to determine any pathophysiological basis for poor outcomes in symptomatic men is warranted.

Increased prostate cancer specific mortality following radical prostatectomy in men presenting with voiding symptoms-A whole of population study

BACKGROUND

Whole of population studies reporting long-term outcomes following radical prostatectomy (RP) are scarce. We aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes in men with prostate cancer (PC) treated with RP in a whole of population cohort. A secondary objective was to evaluate the influence of mode of presentation on PC specific mortality (PCSM).

METHODS

A prospective database of all cases of RP performed in Victoria, Australia between 1995 and 2000 was established within the Victorian Cancer Registry. Specimen histopathology reports and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values were obtained by record linkage to pathology laboratories. Mode of presentation was recorded as either PSA screened (PSA testing offered in absence of voiding symptoms) or symptomatic (diagnosis of PC following presentation with voiding symptoms). Multivariate Cox and competing risk regression models were fitted to analyze all-cause mortality, biochemical recurrence, and PCSM.

RESULTS

Between 1995 and 2000, 2,154 men underwent RP in Victoria. During median follow up of 10.2 years (range 0.26-13.5 years), 74 men died from PC. In addition to Gleason score and pathological stage, symptomatic presentation was associated with PCSM. After adjusting for stage and PSA, no difference in PCSM was found between men with Gleason score ≤ 6 and Gleason score 3 + 4 = 7. Men with Gleason score 4 + 3 had significantly greater cumulative incidence of PCSM compared with men with Gleason score 3 + 4.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary Gleason pattern in Gleason 7 PC is an important prognosticator of survival. Our findings suggest that concomitant voiding symptoms should be considered in the work-up and treatment of PC.

The Establishment of K-CaP (the Multicenter Korean Prostate Cancer Database)

Purpose

The purpose of this article was to announce the establishment of the multicenter Korean Prostate Cancer Database (K-CaP) and to provide urologists with details about K-CaP's methodology.

Materials and Methods

The initial participating K-CaP institutions include five medical centers in Korea. First, we registered prostate cancer patients who underwent radical prostatectomy as the basic background data. K-CaP is poised to combine these initial observational longitudinal studies with those of other eligible institutions as the database grows. All current prostate cancer patients in Korea are able to be registered into the Web-based database system and thereby have a role in several observational studies. The structure of the database for K-CaP was developed by matching it with the respective data from different studies. The operability of the K-CaP database system was verified by using the existing databases from three participating institutions.

Results

The analysis of clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with the use of the Web-based database was successfully conducted. We confirmed the accurate operation of the Web-based database system without any difficulties.

Conclusions

We are announcing the establishment of K-CaP the first database of comprehensive observational longitudinal studies about prostate cancer in Korea. The database will be successfully maintained by sufficiently and continuously updating all patient data covering several treatments. Complete statistical results for registered prostate cancer patients are forthcoming for the basic background data to establish the database. Even though much trial and error are expected during the development process, we expect that K-CaP will eventually become one of the most powerful longitudinal observation databases.