Limited Relevance of the Very Low Risk Prostate Cancer Classification in the Modern Era: Results from a Large Institutional Active Surveillance Cohort

Although the American Urological Association recently dropped the very low-risk (VLR) subcategory for low-risk prostate cancer (PCa) and the European Association of Urology does not substratify low-risk PCa, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines still maintain this stratum, which is based on the number of positive biopsy cores, tumor extent in each core, and prostate-specific antigen density. This subdivision may be less applicable in the modern era in which imaging-targeted prostate biopsies are common practice. In our large institutional active surveillance cohort of patients diagnosed from 2000 to 2020 (n = 1276), the number of patients meeting NCCN VLR criteria decreased significantly in recent years, with no patient meeting VLR criteria after 2018. By contrast, the multivariable Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment (CAPRA) score effectively substratified patients over the same period and was predictive of upgrading on repeat biopsy to Gleason grade group >2 on multivariable Cox proportional-hazards regression modeling (hazard ratio 1.21, 95% confidence interval 1.05-1.39; p < 0.01), independent of age, genomic test results, and magnetic resonance imaging findings. These findings suggest that the NCCN VLR criteria are less applicable in the targeted biopsy era, and that the CAPRA score or similar instruments are better contemporary risk stratification tools for men on active surveillance. Patient summary: We investigated whether the National Comprehensive Cancer Network classification of very low risk (VLR) for prostate cancer is relevant in the modern era. We found that in a large group of patients on active surveillance, no man diagnosed after 2018 satisfied the VLR criteria. However, the Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment (CAPRA) score discriminated patients by cancer risk at diagnosis and was predictive of outcomes on active surveillance, and thus may be a more relevant classification scheme in the modern era. & COPY; 2023 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Although the American Urological Association and European Association of Urology do not use the very low-risk (VLR) subcategory for low-risk prostate cancer (PCa), the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) still maintains this classification. However, a study found that the NCCN VLR criteria are less applicable in the era of imaging-targeted prostate biopsies, and the Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment (CAPRA) score may be a better tool for risk stratification in men on active surveillance. The study suggests that the VLR criteria should be reevaluated for its relevance in the modern era.