Gleason score and laterality concordance between prostate biopsy and prostatectomy specimens.
OBJECTIVE
Prostate biopsy involvement and Gleason score guide treatment decisions in prostate cancer. We evaluated concordance in Gleason score and laterality between biopsy and radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) specimens and factors that influenced this relationship.


METHODS
We reviewed 538 prostate cancer diagnoses at a Veterans Affairs medical center (2000-2005) to identify men with prostate biopsy and RRP specimens. During this time there was a move from limited (6 core) to extended (12 core) biopsy schemes. Discordance in Gleason score was defined as any change in Gleason score.


RESULTS
152 men underwent RRP with biopsy showing Gleason < 7 in 56%, 7 in 36%, and > 7 in 8%. Biopsy involvement was unilateral in 59% and bilateral in 41%. Compared to the biopsy, RRP Gleason score was concordant in 76 (50%), higher in 51 (34%), and lower in 25 (16%). Bilateral involvement was concordant in 97%, while unilateral involvement was concordant in only 20%. Both Gleason score and laterality were concordant in only 26%. Gleason concordance was higher in those with 8 or more cores compared to < 8 cores taken (54% vs. 34%, p = 0.046), but concordance was not affected by age, PSA, prostate volume, or length of time from biopsy to RRP. During later years, concordance did not improve despite taking more cores.


CONCLUSIONS
Prostate biopsy underestimated prostatectomy Gleason score in 34% of men and bilateral involvement in 80% of those with unilateral disease on biopsy. Taking at least eight cores improves the accuracy of the prostate biopsy.
Department of Urology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1089 , USA.
Kenneth G
KG
Nepple
Terry L
TL
Wahls
Stephen L
SL
Hillis
Fadi N
FN
Joudi
D001706:Biopsy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology*; D011468:Prostatectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies