Benefit and harm of lymphadenectomy in intermediate risk prostate cancer: comparison of five nomograms.

BACKGROUND: Pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) is recommended method for detecting prostate cancer (PCa) nodal metastases although associated with serious complications. In this study, we aimed to assess benefit/harm of routine PLND in intermediate risk PCa patients and to compare diagnostic yield of five different nomograms in predicting lymph node invasion (LNI). METHODS: Retrospective analysis of consecutive PCa patients with intermediate risk of biochemical recurrence who underwent open radical prostatectomy (RP) with bilateral PLND between January 2017 and December 2019 at our institution. Partin, 2012-Briganti, 2018-Briganti, Cagiannos and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) values were calculated. To compare accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under receiver-operating curve (AUC) were calculated and then optimal cutoff values were estimated, analyses repeated and compared. To assess benefit and harm of PLND, relative risk (RR) and number need to treat (NNT) with LNI and complications set as outcome were calculated. RESULTS: Total 309 subjects. Average age 62.2 years, average PSA 7.2 ng/mL; 18 (5.8%) had LNI; 88 (28.5%) suffered Clavien-Dindo grade 3-5 complication. AUC for predicting LNI: 0.729 for 2012-Briganti, 0.660 for MSKCC, 0.521 for 2018-Briganti, 0.486 for Cagiannos, and 0.424 for Partin. None of pairwise AUC comparisons based on default and newly established cutoff values were statistically significant. Lowest NNT was for Partin and Cagiannos with default cutoff (≥ 5%). Risks of serious complications between higher/lower than cutoff values were non-significant across nomograms. CONCLUSIONS: 2012-Briganti nomogram outperforms, although not significantly, MSKCC, 2018-Briganti, Cagiannos, and Partin nomograms in classifying LNI in intermediate risk PCa patients. Routine PLND in these patients should be avoided, due to high rate and severity of complications.

Systematic biopsy should not be omitted in the era of combined magnetic resonance imaging/ultrasound fusion-guided biopsies of the prostate.

PURPOSE: To evaluate prostate cancer detection rates with classical trans-rectal ultrasound-guided systematic 10-core biopsies (SB), targeted biopsies (TB) guided by magnetic resonance (MR)/US fusion imaging and their combination in biopsy-naïve and patients with previously negative prostate biopsies. We compared pathology results after radical prostatectomy with biopsy findings. METHODS: Consecutive patients with prostate imaging-reporting and data system lesions grade ≥ 3 submitted to MRI/US-guided TB and subsequent standard 10-core SB between December 2015 and June 2019 were analyzed. RESULTS: Detection rate (TB- or SB-positive) in 563 included patients (192 naïve, 371 with previous biopsies) was 56.7% (67.7% for the first, 50.9% for repeated biopsies). With TB (disregarding SB), the rates were 41.4%, 52.1% and 35.8%, respectively. With SB (disregarding TB), the rates were 49.1%, 63.0% and 41.8%, respectively. Eventually, 118 patients underwent surgery and clinically significant cancer was found in 111 (94.1%) specimens. Of those, 23 (20.7%) would have been missed had we relied upon a negative TB and 14 (12.6%) would have been missed had we relied upon a negative SB, disregarding a positive finding on the alternative biopsy template. CONCLUSION: SB should not be omitted since TB and SB combination have higher detection rate of clinically relevant prostate cancer than either procedure alone.