Prognostic Significance of Surgical Margin Status and Gleason Grade at the Positive Surgical Margin in Predicting Biochemical Recurrence After Radical Prostatectomy in a Turkish Patient Cohort

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the prognostic role of positive surgical margin (PSM) features in addition to well-defined risk factors in predicting biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy. Materials and Methods: This study used the prostate cancer database from the Urooncology Association in Turkey. Clinical, surgical, pathological and follow-up data were recorded from the database. PSM features, including number, location, linear length and Gleason grade (GG) were also recorded. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were performed to assess differences in BCR-free survival (BCR-FS). In order to identify prognostic factors affecting BCR-FS, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed. Results: The study included 984 patients who met the eligibility criteria. The median follow-up time was 29 (minimum: 6, maximum: 210) months, and BCR was detected in 178 (18.1%) patients. BCR-FS was found to be significantly lower in patients with higher total prostate-specific antigen, higher International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade, extraprostatic extension (EPE), seminal vesicle invasion, lymphovascular invasion, lymph node involvement, PSM and GG at PSM (PSMGG) >= 4 (log-rank p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001 and p=0.005). ISUP grade, EPE and PSM were identified as independent prognostic factors in predicting BCR-FS [Hazard ratio (HR): 1.89, p=0.035 and HR: 4.65, p<0.001, HR: 1.82, p=0.030, HR: 1.77, p=0.042, respectively]. Unlike the univariate analysis, in multivariate analysis, PSMGG did not prove to be an independent prognostic factor in predicting BCR-FS. Conclusion: PSM GG >= 4 was found to be significantly associated with shorter BCR-FS. There is a need for large, randomised prospective studies to clarify the role of PSMGG to be used in nomograms as an independent predictor to determine patients who would benefit from adjuvant radiation therapy.