The factors predicting biochemical recurrence in patients with radical prostatectomy

Objective: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the factors predicting recurrence in patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) for localized prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: A total of 275 patients who underwent RP between 2000 and 2012 years in our clinic were evaluated retrospectively and 238 patients who met our criteria were included in the study. The effect of PSA values at diagnosis in addition the histopathological variables on the risk of recurrence was evaluated. Biochemical recurrence (BCR) is defined as “an increase of > 0.2 ng/ml or more in the serum total PSA count”. The statistical analysis of this study was done using SPSS for Windows Version 15.0 package program. Values below p < 0.05 are accepted as statistically significant. Results: The mean follow up, age and PSA of patients were 37,2 months, 66,01 ± 6,85 years and 11,12 ng/ml, respectively. BCR rate was 28% (68/238). Univariate analysis revealed that PSA levels during initial diagnosis (p < 0.0001), Gleason score (GS) (p < 0.0001), prostatic capsule involvement (p < 0.005), extracapsular extension (p = 0.0001), seminal vesicle involvement (p < 0.003) and surgical margin positivity (p < 0.014) were significant factors in predicting recurrence, while multivariate analysis showed that PSA at initial diagnosis (p = 0.002) and GS (p = 0.003) were independent prognostic factors. PSA > 10 ng/ml and Gleason score > 7 are considered as the risk factors for BCR. Conclusion: Our study results showed that PSA value during initial diagnosis as well as Gleason score were independent factors in predicting BCR following radical prostatectomy.

Impact of visceral fat volume and fat density on biochemical outcome after radical prostatectomy and postoperative radiotherapy

To assess the predictive value of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and adipose tissue density after both radical prostatectomy (RP) and adjuvant or salvage external beam radiotherapy (EBRT).We randomly selected 201 patients treated with RP and EBRT between 2005 and 2015. Visceral adipose tissue and subcutaneous adipose tissue volumes were manually contoured and corresponding tissue densities in Hounsfield units (HU) calculated. Time to biochemical recurrence (BCR) was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and comparisons were made using the log-rank test. Cox regression analysis was done for multivariate analysis.Median time to BCR or last follow-up was 32 months. In univariate analysis for BCR, VAT volume and fat density were both associated with a better outcome (p=0.025 and p=0.024, respectively) as well as seminal vesicle involvement (p=0.024). Body mass index (BMI) was not predictive of BCR (p=0.32). In a multivariate model including seminal vesicle involvement, both a VAT volume above the median (HR2.5, 95%CI 1.1–5.7, p=0.03) and a VAT density (HR 2.4, 95%CI 1.1–5.1, p=0.028) above the median remained predictive for a better biochemical outcome. Adjusting for BMI did not significantly change the model.In both univariate and multivariate analysis, patients with both a larger VAT volume and density had a better biochemical outcome. The interaction between prostate cancer aggressiveness and visceral fat volume and density needs to be further evaluated to provide a better understanding of this disease.