Does laser ablation prostatectomy lead to oncological compromise?

OBJECTIVE

To assess the incidence and outcome of incidental prostate cancer detected at transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), and to evaluate whether laser ablation prostatectomy would miss significant cancer by failing to provide tissue for histopathological analysis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Information on TURP-detected prostate cancer was gathered from 1996 to 2006, from The South-west Cancer Intelligence Service, hospital-operating and coding records, histopathology databases and The British Association of Urological Surgeons Cancer Registry. We recorded the total number of prostate cancers diagnosed per year, number of TURPs performed, Gleason scores and patients outcomes.

RESULTS

TURP-detected prostate cancer has declined since the relatively high rates (22%) recorded locally in 1996-97. Between 2001 and 2006, a mean (range) of 124 (111-135) prostate cancers were detected per year. Incidental cancers accounted for only 1.5-5.6% of all newly diagnosed prostate cancers per year. Incidental cancers had a mean (sem) Gleason score of 5.7 (0.3) compared to 8.0 (0.3) in known cancers (P < 0.01) undergoing TURP. Of newly diagnosed patients, 82% were allocated to active surveillance, whilst 18% were started on hormone therapy, with no prostate cancer-related deaths over a mean (sem, range) follow-up of 49.7 (2.4, 11-81) months.

CONCLUSIONS

TURP mainly samples transitional-zone tissue where tumours are relatively uncommon, and have a good prognosis. Our series of incidental TURP-detected cancers showed an incidence in keeping with published data, and favourable histological and clinical outcomes. We suggest the lack of tissue should not discourage the use of laser prostatectomy surgery.