Clinically unsuspected and undetected (clinical stage t0) prostate cancer diagnosed on random needle biopsy

To describe the findings in 4 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy for clinically undetected and unsuspected prostate cancer detected on random needle biopsy.

We reviewed the Mayo Clinic Radical Prostatectomy Prostate Cancer Database of 5793 prostatectomies from 1987 to 1997, and identified 4 patients who had prostate cancer detected on random needle biopsy of the prostate with serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) less than 4 ng/mL and normal digital rectal examination. Each had requested biopsy despite the absence of clinical suspicion of cancer; 3 had normal transrectal ultrasound, and the fourth had a benign hypoechoic lesion contralateral to the cancer.

Mean patient age at diagnosis was 65.5 years (range 61 to 67). Mean PSA was 2.4 ng/mL (range 2 to 2.9). Mean tumor volume was 3 cc (range 0.04 to 11.2). Mean Gleason grade at prostatectomy was 5.75 (range 5 to 7). Prostate cancer was Stage T2a in 1 patient (25%), T2c in 2 (50%), and T3a (25%) in 1. Three tumors were DNA diploid, and one was aneuploid. All patients were alive without evidence of cancer at a mean follow-up of 43 months (range 25 to 53) with undetectable serum PSA concentration.

Our findings indicate that clinically unsuspected and undetected (clinical Stage T0) prostate cancer may be clinically significant. Patient insistence on biopsy reflects increasing concern among the public about prostate cancer. Current clinical thresholds for biopsy detection will fail for some patients with clinically significant prostate cancer.