[Diagnosis and treatment of T1a-T1b prostate cancer]

To explore the clinical pathological characteristics and improve the recognition in the diagnosis and treatment of incidental (stage T1a-T1b) prostate cancer.

Seven hundred and seventy-one patients who underwent TURP from May 2004 to September 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. In our institution, TURP specimens should be totally submitted in an extensive sampling method. The tumor area was outlined by estimation of an experienced genitourinary pathologist and calculated by the image analysis system software (Image J 1.47 h). The tumor area was then multiplied by the thickness of tissue. The total sum of all tumor volume was the estimated tumor volume. The clinical and pathological factors, follow-up results were obtained and we aimed to collect information about the period of watchful waiting (WW), PSA progression status, intervention status during the follow-up, the reason for intervention on WW and the type of intervention.

The average age of 771 patients was (71.3±5.9) years old, and the average BMI was (23.9±3.1) kg/m², preoperative average tPSA was (4.4±2.8) μg/L. Eighty-six (11.2%) cases of incidental prostate cancer were detected. The patients in T1a group (77 cases, 89.5%) had tumor volumes of (12.3±12.6) mm³, and the patients in T1b group had tumor volumes of (105.1±41.8) mm³.The range of tumor volume was 0.4-180.2 mm³. The volume of all the 86 cases was less than 500 mm³ as the threshold of insignificant cancer. All the patients were managed by WW. The mean follow-up time was 88.9 (27.9-150.1) months.The Gleason score was <7 in 79 patients, and ≥7 in 7 patients. There was no significant difference in age, preoperative tPSA, preoperative PSAD, postoperative tPSA, prostate volume and TURP resection between T1a group and T1b group (P>0.05). Among 84 patients without follow-up losts, PSA progression occurred in 5 patients. One T1a patient underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) as an intervention, and 3 patients underwent hormone therapy. One patient in T1b group underwent radiotherapy for PSA progression and one was treated because of patient preference without evidence of disease progression. There were no patients who died due to prostate cancer.

Eighty-six (11.2%) cases of incidental prostate cancer were detected. The tumor volume of all the cases was insignificant cancer.The clinical outcomes of IPCa were satisfactory with the initial treatment of WW in the Chinese population.