Prostate cancer tissue is masked by bicalutamide: a case report

Prostate cancer is the most common malignant tumor in men. Recently, a slightly decreased frequency of margin positivity following neoadjuvant bicalutamide treatment due to tumor shrinkage was reported. Trials investigating other anti-androgens in the past also reported lower frequencies of surgical margin positivity, but patients outcome has not improved. In this case, local recurrence was confirmed by needle biopsy in a patient five years following radical prostatectomy for prostate adenocarcinoma. After therapy with 50 mg bicalutamide for a month, the tumour was resected. Despite of detailed histological work-up and immunohistochemistry cancer suspicious lesions were not found. We think that bicalutamide may be capable of masking prostate cancer cells.