title: Histopathological outcome in 167 patients operated on with radical retropubic prostatectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the histopathological outcome in patients with prostate cancer operated on with radical retropubic prostatectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 167 patients with clinically organ-localized prostate cancer treated with open radical retropubic prostatectomy between 1996 and 2001 were divided into three equally sized consecutive cohorts (cohorts I-III). The prostatectomy specimens were re-examined by two pathologists with respect to pathological tumour stage, tumour grade and surgical tumour margins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) value was statistically significantly higher in cohort I compared to cohorts II and III: 13.2, 9.0 and 8.5 ng/ml, respectively (p<0.05). The incidence of locally advanced (pT3a-3b) tumours was 44% in cohort I and 20% in both cohorts II and III (p<0.05). The incidence of positive tumour margins was 58% in cohort I, compared to 30% in cohort II and 13% in cohort III (p<0.05). The incidence of positive intracapsular tumour margins was 55% in cohort I, compared to 25% in cohort II and 8.9% in cohort III (p<0.05). The incidence of positive tumour margins in the pT2 tumours in cohorts I-III was 57%, 26% and 8.9%, respectively (p<0.05). Cohort III had significantly more low-grade tumours (Gleason score 4-6; 58.9%) compared to cohorts I (31.5%) and II (34%). There was a higher incidence of Gleason score >or=7 in the pT3 tumours compared to the pT2 tumours (80% vs 46%) and in margin-positive compared to -negative tumours (69.6% vs 48.6%) (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The decline in pT3 tumours and positive tumour margins between cohorts I-III is probably due to a gradually more strict selection of patients for radical retropubic prostatectomy. The successive reduction in positive intracapsular tumour margins is most likely due to an improved surgical technique.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, St. Olavs Hospital HF, University Hospital of Trondheim, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Solberg
authors.forename: Trond
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Viset
authors.forename: Olav A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Haugen
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mjønes
authors.forename: Olbjørn
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Klepp
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Angelsen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D011468:Prostatectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome