[Vanishing prostate cancer. Clinical presentation and histological review]. / Cáncer evanescente de la próstata. Presentación clínica y revisión histológica.

The impossibility to identify cancer in the final surgical specimen has been reported in some patients with prostate cancer undergoing radical prostatectomy. This has been attributed to either a wrong diagnosis or pathological technique, or to spontaneous or biopsy-induced cure of the tumor. This study assessed the incidence of vanishing prostate cancer in our department for 12 years, the clinical characteristics of patients, and their follow-up. The initial puncture biopsies were also re-evaluated using inmunohistochemical stains. Prostate cancer could not be confirmed in the surgical specimen in six out of 346 operated patients (1.73%) receiving no neoadjuvant therapy. When the initial biopsies were reviewed, cancer was only confirmed in three patients. Incidence of vanishing cancer at our department in the 12-year period considered was 0.86% (3/346). No tumor relapse occurred during 4.5 years of follow-up.

Cáncer evanescente de la próstata. Presentación clínica y revisión histológica / Vanishing prostate cancer. Clinical presentation and histological review

Se ha descrito en pacientes portadores de cáncer prostático, sometidos a prostatectomía radical, la imposibilidad de identificar cáncer en la pieza quirúrgica definitiva. Este fenómeno se ha atribuido a un error en el diagnóstico o de la técnica anatomopatológica o a la curación del tumor, espontánea o inducida por la biopsia. En este estudio se evalúa la incidencia de cáncer evanescente en nuestro servicio durante 12 años, las características clínicas de los pacientes y su seguimiento. Adicionalmente, se revalúan las biopsias por punción iniciales con uso de tinciones inmunohistoquímicas. De un total de 346 pacientes operados y en ausencia de terapia neoadyuvante, en 6 (1,73%) no se pudo confirmar un cáncer prostático en la pieza quirúrgica. Al someter las placas iniciales a revisión, sólo se confirmó cáncer en 3 casos. La incidencia de cáncer evanescente en nuestro servicio para los 12 años evaluados es de un 0,86% (3/346). Durante 4,5 años de seguimiento ningún caso presentó recidiva tumoral (AU)

The impossibility to identify cancer in the final surgical specimen has been reported in some patients with prostate cancer undergoing radical prostatectomy. This has been attributed to either a wrong diagnosis or pathological technique, or to spontaneous or biopsy-induced cure of the tumor. This study assessed the incidence of vanishing prostate cancer in our department for 12 years, the clinical characteristics of patients, and their follow-up. The initial puncture biopsies were also re-evaluated using inmunohistochemical stains. Prostate cancer could not be confirmed in the surgical specimen in six out of 346 operated patients (1.73%) receiving no neoadjuvant therapy. When the initial biopsies were reviewed, cancer was only confirmed in three patients. Incidence of vanishing cancerat our department in the 12-year period considered was 0.86% (3/346). No tumor relapse occurred during 4.5 years of follow-up (AU)