Biochemical Recurrence Following Radical Prostatectomy for Prostate Cancer with Positive Surgical Margins

Approximately one-third of individuals diagnosed with prostate cancer (PCa) experience biochemical recurrence (BCR) following their initial curative therapy. BCR significantly increases the risk of distant metastases and is associated with higher mortality rates, particularly in patients with poor prognostic indicators. This study aims to investigate the strong correlation between positive surgical margins (PSMs) and BCR after radical prostatectomy, offering foundational insights and guidance for predicting patient survival and optimising postoperative intervention strategies.

A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 498 patients who underwent laparoscopic radical prostatectomy between January 2015 and January 2021 at Ningbo Yinzhou No.2 Hospital. Pathological specimens and medical records were reviewed. Of these, 127 patients with PSMs and 279 patients with negative surgical margins (NSMs) were included in the statistical analysis. The analysis incorporated clinical and pathological parameters, including primary tumour characteristics, PSMs, pathological tumour staging, surgical margin status, Gleason grade group, and other relevant factors, with BCR-free survival as the primary endpoint.

During the follow-up period of this study, 129 cases of BCR were identified among the 406 patients. Of these, 34 cases occurred in patients with PSMs, accounting for approximately 26.8% (34/127), and 95 cases occurred in patients with NSMs, accounting for approximately 34.1% (95/279). The difference in recurrence between the two groups was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The median time to BCR was 19.2 months for patients with PSMs, compared to 28.2 months for patients with NSMs, with this difference also reaching statistical significance (p < 0.001). The Gleason grading group in patients with PSMs was a stronger predictor of recurrence than the primary tumour characteristics.

The presence of PSMs is a significant independent predictor of BCR in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy for PCa. Early detection and timely intervention for patients with PSMs are crucial for improving postoperative outcomes.