Pathologic and Prognostic Outcomes of Very Low- and Low-Risk Prostate Cancer According to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines in Japanese Patients with Radical Prostatectomy

Background: The purpose of this study was to validate the treatment strategy for a cohort of Japanese patients with very low-risk (VLR) and low-risk (LR) prostate cancer according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines. Methods: We studied 751 patients with T1- 3N0M0 prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy at our institution between 2000 and 2012. Patients with neoadjuvant treatments were excluded. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and pathological outcomes for patients with VLR or LR prostate cancers that were classified by NCCN guidelines. Results: We identified 45 patients with VLR and 137 with LR prostate cancer. Non-biochemical recurrence rate at 5-year for 45 patients with VLR was 86.9% and 81.2% for 137 patients with LR (p = 0.56). However, none of the 19 patients >65 years old with VLR progressed, while 19% of 26 patients ≤65 years old with VLR cancer, 14% of patients >65 years old with LR cancer, and 17% of patients ≤65 years old with LR cancer progressed during the follow-up period (p = 0.04, p = 0.04 and p = 0.05, respectively). In analyses of prostatectomy specimens, both VLR and LR had similarly favorable outcomes, but patients >65 years old with VLR had the smallest tumors, with a mean of 5 mm in diameter. Conclusions: Our results support the treatment strategy of the NCCN that patients with VLR cancer and age >65 years old are good candidates for active surveillance, and that other treatment options—including active surveillance and aggressive treatments—can be applied to the remaining patients with VLR or LR cancers.

Development of a nomogram for predicting a positive repeat prostate biopsy

AIM: To fi nd risk factors of cancer in patients who had a repeat biopsy and to develop the nomogram using our cohort. METHODS: Among 3500 patients who had a prostate biopsy over 11 years between 2000 and 2010 at our hospital, we studied a total of 807 repeat biopsy sessions in 459 patients who had at least 1 initial negative biopsy. At each biopsy session, we recorded patient age, number of previous biopsy sessions, number of biopsy cores, number of previously negative biopsy cores, months from the initial biopsy, months from the previous biopsy, serum PSA, PSA slope, digital rectal examination fi ndings, hypoechoic lesions suspicious for a cancer on transrectal ultrasonography, total prostate volume, transitional zone(TZ) volume, PSA density, PSA TZ density and history of high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia(HGPIN) or atypical small acinar proliferation(ASAP). Clinical and pathological variables were correlated with the outcome of repeat biopsies. A nomogram was developed based on logistic regression analyses and calibration was performed.RESULTS: Overall, 17% of repeat biopsies had a cancer. With receiver operating characteristics analyses, the highest area under the curve(AUC) was obtained based on all available 13 variables, which were age, PSA, digital rectal examination, PSA density, prostate volume, TZ volume, PSA TZ density, cumulative number of biopsy cores, HGPIN, ASAP, months from previous negative biopsy, initial negative biopsy and number of biopsy cores. Based on multivariable logistic regression analysis, a nomogram was constructed with an AUC of 0.74, which was greater than that of any single risk factor. The calibration plot seemed to be good.CONCLUSION: Our nomogram for predicting a positive repeat biopsy can provide probabilities for cancer and may help clinical judgment on whether to do a repeat prostate biopsy.

What is the purpose of launching World Journal of Clinical Urology?

The first issue of the World Journal of Clinical Urology(WJCU),whose preparatory work was initiated on December 6,2010,will be published on December 28,2011.The WJCU Editorial Board has now been established and consists of 101 distinguished experts from 25 countries.Our purpose in launching the WJCU is to publish peer-reviewed,high-quality articles via an open-access online publishing model,thereby acting as a platform for communication between peers and the wider public,and maximizing the benefits to editorial board members,authors and readers.