[Prostatic cancer developing after transurethral resection of the prostate for benign prostatic hyperplasia]

From January 1993 to June 1998, 319 cases were histopathologically diagnosed as prostatic cancer. In 7 of the 319 cases (2.2%) transurethral resection of the prostate (TUR-P) had been performed and a diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia had been made with the resected specimens. The interval between TUR-P and the diagnosis of prostatic cancer ranged from 22 months to 15 years. All the cases showed an elevation of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) value (6.4-399 ng/ml, Tandem-R: RIA) at the time of cancer diagnosis. In 2 cases, PSA was measured in cancer screening. The clinical stage was stage B1 in 2 cases, stage B2 in 2 and D2 in 3. Only one case had been regularly followed-up after TUR-P, in which cancer was diagnosed by needle biopsy 22 months after TUR-P, because of the sustained high PSA values. Since most of such patients have an advanced stage of prostate cancer, it is of importance to have periodical follow-up examinations after TUR-P. The measurement of PSA appears the most reliable means in this way.