The Clinical Implication of Incidental Prostatic Amyloidosis

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Pathology
• Cardiology

Background:

• Amyloidosis is a condition characterized by the deposition of amyloid proteins in various organs.
• Prostatic amyloidosis is an uncommon finding, and its association with systemic amyloidosis requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the clinicopathologic features of patients with incidental prostatic amyloidosis.
• To investigate the association between prostatic amyloidosis and systemic or cardiac amyloidosis.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective review of prostate specimens diagnosed with amyloid deposits between 2008-2018.
• Amyloid diagnosis using Congo red stain and subtyping via Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.
• Review of patient medical charts for systemic amyloidosis and clinical course.

Main Results:

• Seven patients with prostatic amyloidosis were identified; 6 had transthyretin amyloidosis.
• Five of six patients were diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis, often preceding or following the prostatic diagnosis.
• Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry did not reveal transthyretin protein abnormalities.

Conclusions:

• Incidental prostatic amyloidosis warrants a systemic and cardiac evaluation for amyloidosis.
• Reviewing prior prostate specimens can aid in diagnosing cardiac amyloidosis in at-risk patients.