The 2002 AJCC pT2 substages confer no prognostic information on the rate of biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

INTRODUCTION

We examined the prognostic value of AJCC pT2 substages in prediction of biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP), in European patients.

METHODS

A cohort of 1726 RP patients with pT2N0 prostate cancer (PCa) was studied. Multivariate Cox regression models addressed the association between either the 1997 or 1992/2002 pT2 substages after controlling for total PSA, primary and secondary pathologic Gleason scores and surgical margin status and time to PSA recurrence (PSA >0.1 and rising) after RP. Regression coefficients were then used to test the predictive accuracy of multivariate models in a nomogram setting.

RESULTS

PSA recurrence occurred in 80 (4.6%) patients. Mean and median times to recurrence were respectively 28.9 and 24.4 months. In univariate analyses, neither the 1997 (p = 0.48) nor the 1992/2002 pT2 substages (p = 0.054) were predictive of recurrence. In multivariate analyses the lack of significance persisted (1997 p = 0.709; 1992/2002 p = 0.124). When either the 1997 or 1992/2002 pT2 substages were added to a multivariate nomogram without pT2 substage information, its accuracy respectively decreased by 0.8% and 1.1%.

CONCLUSION

Our data indicate that pT2 substages offer no incremental value relative to pre-treatment total PSA, surgical margin status and pathologic Gleason scores. Therefore, it might be postulated that it is sufficient to confirm organ confinement according to Partin's pathologic staging.