Prognostic significance of the tumor volume in radical prostatectomy specimens after neoadjuvant hormonal therapy.
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to determine whether the tumor volume in radical prostatectomy specimens of patients with prostate cancer who underwent neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT) could be used as a prognostic predictor.


METHODS
In this study, we included 96 patients who underwent NHT followed by radical prostatectomy between January 1995 and July 2003 in our institutions. Several clinicopathological factors of these patients were analyzed, focusing on the association between tumor volume in radical prostatectomy specimens and disease recurrence.


RESULTS
The tumor volume in radical prostatectomy specimens after NHT was significantly associated with capsular penetration, seminal vesicle invasion, and lymph node metastases, among the factors examined in this study. The biochemical recurrence-free survival rates in patients with tumor volumes <1.0 cm(3) were significantly higher than in those having tumor volumes > or =1.0 cm(3). However, multivariate analysis showed that the tumor volume could not be used as an independent predictor for biochemical recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients who received NHT prior to radical prostatectomy, the tumor volume was shown to correlate with other prognostic indicators. Furthermore, a higher probability of biochemical recurrence was noted, when there was a residual tumor volume > or =1.0 cm(3) after NHT. Thus, careful follow-up and, if necessary, additional treatment should be considered in cases demonstrating tumor volumes > or =1.0 cm(3) after NHT.
Miyake
Hideaki
H
Department of Urology, Hyogo Medical Center for Adults, Akashi, Japan. hideakimiyake@hotmail.com
Sakai
Iori
I
Harada
Ken-Ichi
K
Takechi
Yoshizumi
Y
Hara
Isao
I
Eto
Hiroshi
H
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011468:Prostatectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone