The effect of time from biopsy to radical prostatectomy on adverse pathologic outcomes

To assess the impact of time between prostate cancer diagnosis on biopsy and definitive intervention with radical prostatectomy (RP) in regard to adverse pathologic outcomes using a large multi-surgeon database.

We retrospectively reviewed 2,728 patients who underwent RP between 2005 and 2014. Patients were stratified according to biopsy Grade Group (GG). Pathologic outcomes were evaluated for patients with <2 months between biopsy and surgery and then at monthly intervals of up to 6 months. Adverse pathological outcomes were defined as Gleason upgrading from biopsy, the presence of extraprostatic extension (EPE, pT3a) or seminal vesicle invasion (SVI, pT3b), positive surgical margins, and lymph node positivity. The chi-squared test was used for statistical analysis.

In total 2,310 patients met the inclusion criteria. Median time from biopsy to surgery was 83 days (range: 61-109 days). No difference was observed for patients in any risk category regarding the adverse pathologic outcomes, including GG upgrade from biopsy to prostatectomy, presence of EPE, SVI, positive surgical margins, and positive lymph node involvement, with delays of up to 6 months between biopsy and RP. Surgical margins were positive in 25% of cases with pT2 disease and 50.2% of cases with pT3 and greater disease. EPE and SVI were present in 24.5% and 7.5% of specimens, respectively.

Surgical delays of up to 6 months following prostate biopsy were not associated with an increased risk of GG upgrading, EPE, SVI, positive surgical margins, or lymph node involvement.