EARLY (STAGE-A) PROSTATIC-CANCER .4. METHODOLOGICAL CRITERIA FOR HISTO-PATHOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS

This study was performed in order to elucidate some of the problems of incidence, morphology and natural history concerned with Stage A prostatic cancer or prostatic microcarcinoma (PMC). The prostates of 100 patients, treated by subtotal prostatectomy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), were studied by comparing both routine and step-section techniques. The incidence of PMC was 41% by the former and 86% by the latter technique. Assessment of the size of PMC, as measured by the sum of the two main diameters, resulted in three groups: A1, A2, A3. The last of these may represent a frankly malignant condition, judged by size and the histological appearance. Radical prostatectomy is strongly suggested as appropriate therapy for this group. © 1979 Springer-Verlag.