Staging pelvic lymphadenectomy for carcinoma of the prostate risk versus benefit

A total of 125 patients underwent limited staging lymphadenectomy for adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Of these patients 19 per cent with clinical stage B1 disease, 52 per cent with clinical stage B2 disease and 59 per cent with clinical stages C disease had positive nodes. There was 1 death secondary to myocardial infarction and postoperative complications occurred in 7.2 per cent of the 125 patients. Limited staging pelvic node dissection provides information regarding nodal dissection similar to that identified after more extensive dissection and it can be accomplished with little morbidity.