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Updated: Jul 4, 2026
A New Technique for Treating Low-risk Prostate Cancer—Super Active Surveillance
Published on: November 7, 2025
Pathologic stage T2a and T2b prostate cancer in the recent prostate-specific antigen era: implications for unilateral
Thomas J Polascik1, Janice M Mayes, Leon Sun
1Duke Prostate Center and Division of Urologic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA. polas001@mc.duke.edu
Background:
Early detection of small volume prostate cancer (PCa) has led to the concept of focal therapy to treat in an organ-sparing manner. We evaluated trends in pathologic staging among patients with localized PCa undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP), defining the frequency of unilateral cancers during 1988-1995, 1996-2000 and 2001-2006.
Methods:
Data were abstracted from the Duke Prostate Cancer Outcome database selecting 3,676 men with available pathology treated with RP. Based on surgical pathology, trends in as pathological T (pT) stage, pathological Gleason Score (pGS), and percent tumor involvement (PTI) were evaluated.
Results:
pT2a increased from 2.8% of men undergoing RP in 1988-1995 to 13.0% during 2001-2006 (P < 0.0005). PTI analysis shifted towards low volume disease, e.g. PTI
Conclusions:
The increasing prevalence of unilateral pT2a/T2b PCa characterizes a growing proportion of men recently electing RP. These tumors are associated with lower PTI, pGS
