Significance of the Percentage of Gleason Pattern 4 at Prostate Biopsy in Predicting Adverse Pathology on Radical Prostatectomy: Application in Active Surveillance

Objectives To determine the prognostic significance of the maximum allowable percentage of Gleason pattern 4 (GP4) at prostate biopsy compared with adverse pathology observed at radical prostatectomy (RP) to expand active surveillance eligibility among a cohort with intermediate risk of prostate cancer. Methods A retrospective study of patients with grade group (GG) 1 or 2 prostate cancer on prostate biopsy with subsequent RP was performed at our institution. A Fisher exact test was used to understand the relationship among GP4 subgroups (0%, <= 5%, 6%-10%, and 11%-49%) assigned at biopsy and adverse pathologic findings at RP. Additional analyses comparing the GP4 <= 5% cohort's prebiopsy prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level and GP4 length with adverse pathology at RP were also performed. Results No statistically significant difference in adverse pathology at RP was observed between the active surveillance-eligible control (GP4 0%) and the GP4 <= 5% subgroup. In total, 68.9% of the GP4 <= 5% cohort showed favorable pathologic outcomes. A separate analysis of the GP4 <= 5% subgroup revealed that neither prebiopsy serum PSA levels nor GP4 length showed statistical correlation with adverse pathology at RP. Conclusions Active surveillance may be a reasonable option for management of patients in the GP4 <= 5% group until long-term follow-up data become available.

Automated summary

The study aimed to determine the prognostic significance of the maximum allowable percentage of Gleason pattern 4 (GP4) at prostate biopsy compared with adverse pathology observed at radical prostatectomy (RP) to expand active surveillance eligibility among a cohort with intermediate risk of prostate cancer. The study found no statistically significant difference in adverse pathology at RP between the active surveillance-eligible control (GP4 0%) and the GP4 <= 5% subgroup, with 68.9% of the GP4 <= 5% subgroup showing favorable pathologic outcomes. Moreover, there was no statistical correlation between prebiopsy serum PSA levels or GP4 length and adverse pathology at RP in the GP4 <= 5% subgroup. Therefore, active surveillance may be a reasonable option for management of patients in the GP4 <= 5% group until long-term follow-up data become available.