title: The Role of Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection During Radical Prostatectomy in Patients With Gleason 6 Intermediate-risk Prostate Cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the benefit of pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) in patients with biopsy Gleason grade ≤ 6, cT ≤ 2b, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) 10-20 ng/mL (main study cohort), as the indication for PLND during radical prostatectomy remains uncertain in patients with nonhigh-risk tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The main study cohort included 1383 patients with low intermediate-risk cancer undergoing radical prostatectomy with or without PLND between 1994 and 2013. Positive lymph node (LN) rates were reported and compared to patients with higher (≥20 ng/mL; n = 314) and lower (<10 ng/mL; n = 6861) PSA. Oncological outcome was assessed by Cox regressions in patients with a minimum follow-up of 5years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the main study cohort (PSA 10-20 ng/mL), PLND was performed in 867 (62.7%) patients with a median number of removed LNs of 11 (interquartile range 16-6). Positive LNs were detected in 3.3% of these patients. Compared to the main study cohort, patients with preoperatively higher PSA ≥ 20 ng/mL (or lower PSA < 10 ng/ml) underwent PLND in 83.8% (32.7%) of the cases, with 8.0% (1.8%) showing positive LNs. Median follow-up in the main study cohort was 84.5 months. Biochemical recurrence (BCR) occurred in 20.6% of these men. The 5-year and 10-year BCR-free survival rates were 82.2% and 75.6% for those with PLND, and 83.4% and 75.8% for patients without PLND. PLND was not a significant factor influencing BCR-free, metastasis-free, or cancer-specific survival in the main study cohort.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Positive LNs are rare in patients with Gleason grade ≤ 6, cT ≤ 2b, and PSA 10-20 ng/mL. Performing PLND had no statistical influence on oncologic outcome and therefore should be decided upon on an individual basis.
authors.affiliation: Martini-Klinik Prostate Cancer Center, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Urology, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mandel
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Maximilian C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kriegmair
authors.affiliation: Martini-Klinik Prostate Cancer Center, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Valia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Veleva
authors.affiliation: Martini-Klinik Prostate Cancer Center, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Salomon
authors.affiliation: Martini-Klinik Prostate Cancer Center, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Graefen
authors.affiliation: Martini-Klinik Prostate Cancer Center, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Hartwig
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huland
authors.affiliation: Martini-Klinik Prostate Cancer Center, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Urology, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: d.tilki@uke.de.
authors.forename: Derya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tilki
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D010388:Pelvis; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment