Pelvic lymphadenectomy for staging prostatic carcinoma: is it always necessary?

There were 100 patients with clinically localized prostatic carcinoma staged surgically for the evaluation of lymph node metastases. By correlating the incidence of lymph node metastasis with the level of serum acid phosphatase, and the stage and grade of the primary tumor, it was possible to identify 1 group of patients with less than 8 per cent incidence of lymph node metastases and another group with more than 92 per cent incidence of nodal involvement. It is in these 2 groups of patients that pelvic lymphadenectomy for the staging of prostatic carcinoma may not be necessary.