Assessment of Lymph Node Invasion and Associated Risk Factors in Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer: A Retrospective...

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Oncology
• Pathology

Background:

• Prostate cancer (PCa) is a common male malignancy.
• Lymph node invasion (LNI) is a critical prognostic factor in PCa.
• Identifying LNI risk factors in intermediate-risk PCa is crucial for treatment planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate the prevalence of LNI in intermediate-risk PCa.
• Identify demographic, clinical, and pathological risk factors for LNI.
• Assess the predictive value of total prostate-specific antigen (PSA) for LNI.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cross-sectional study of intermediate-risk PCa patients undergoing radical prostatectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND).
• Data extracted from clinical records.
• Statistical analyses included univariate logistic regression and ROC curve analysis.

Main Results:

• LNI prevalence was 12.10%.
• Significant univariate associations with LNI included advanced clinical stage, higher Gleason score, greater core involvement, and elevated total PSA (OR=1.33).
• Total PSA was the only independent predictor in multivariate analysis (AUC=0.685), with an optimal cut-off of 16.52 ng/mL.

Conclusions:

• Total PSA is a key biomarker for assessing LNI risk in intermediate-risk PCa.
• Total PSA demonstrates moderate diagnostic accuracy for predicting LNI.
• Clinical utility of total PSA in risk stratification and decision-making for PCa patients is supported.