Microfocal Prostate Cancer

Abstract

To determine whether microfocal prostate cancer on needle biopsy predicts clinically insignificant prostate cancer.

Patients and Methods

We reviewed the records of 257 patients who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy between January 1999 to September 2003. 18 patients had preoperative diagnosis of microfocal prostate cancer defined as 1 positive core/8 cores, cancer length < 3 mm and Gleason score less than/equal to 6.

Results

Of the 18 patients with preoperative microfocal cancer, only 1 case had clinically insignificant disease. 15 pts had organ confined disease (pT2) and 3 pts had capsular penetration (pT3). The lesion was bioptic undergraded in 33% of cases.

Conclusions

Microfocal prostate cancer as determined by needle biopsy does not predict clinically insignificant disease.