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Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Microarray-based Identification of Individual HERV Loci Expression: Application to Biomarker Discovery in Prostate Cancer
Published on: November 3, 2013
Use of systematic biopsy results to predict pathologic stage in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer: a
Y Goto1, M Ohori, P T Scardino
1Department of Urology, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Japan.
Background:
The purpose of this study was to determine the ability of clinical tests to predict advanced pathologic stage (seminal vesicle invasion, pT3c, or pelvic lymph node metastases, pN+).
Methods:
T stage, PSA, PSA density, and pathologic features in systematic biopsy specimens were correlated with pathologic stage in 190 consecutive patients with clinically localized (T1-3) prostate cancer detected by systematic needle biopsies and treated with radical prostatectomies.
Results:
Thirty-three patients (17%) had an advanced pathologic stage cancer (pT3c or pN+). In logistic regression analysis, the total length of cancer in all biopsy cores (P < 0.0005), the percent of poorly-differentiated cancer in each specimen (P< 0.021), and serum PSA (P< 0.028) were the only significant predictors of advanced stage. A model was constructed to predict advanced stage: if the PSA was > or = 6 ng/mL and 4 or more biopsy cores were positive and the total length of cancer in all cores was > or = 20 mm and at least 10% of the cancer was poorly-differentiated, then 14 (93%) of 15 patients had an advanced pathologic stage cancer compared to 11% of the remaining 175 patients (P < 0.0005).
Conclusion:
The pathologic features of cancer in systematic needle biopsy specimens more accurately predicts which patients have advanced stage cancer than standard clinical tests alone.

