ABSTRACT Purpose: The 8th edition of the TNM has been updated and improved in order to ensure a high degree of clinical relevance. A major change in prostate includes pathologically organ - confined disease to be considered pT2 and no longer subclassified by extent of involvement or laterality. The aim of this study was to validate this major change. Materials and Methods: Prostates were step - sectioned from 196 patients submitted to radical prostatectomy with organ confined disease (pT2) and negative surgical margins. Tumor extent was evaluated by a semiquantitative point count method. The dominant nodule extent was recorded as the maximal number of positive points of the largest single focus of cancer from the quadrants. Laterality was considered as either total tumor extent (Group 1) or index tumor extent (Group 2). Time to biochemical recurrence was analyzed with the Kaplan - Meier product limit analysis and prediction of shorter time to biochemical recurrence with Cox proportional hazards model. Results: In Group 1, 43 / 196 (21.9%) tumors were unilateral and 153 / 196 (78.1%) bilateral and in Group 2, 156 / 196 (79.6%) tumors were unilateral and 40 / 196 (20.4%) bilateral. In both groups, comparing unilateral vs bilateral tumors, there was no significant clinicopathological difference, and no significant association with time as well as prediction of shorter time to biochemical recurrence following surgery. Conclusions: Pathologic sub - staging of organ confined disease does not convey prognostic information either considering laterality as total tumor extent or index tumor extent. Furthermore, no correlation exists between digital rectal examination and pathologic stage.

ABSTRACT Purpose To find any influence on prognostic factors of index tumor according to predominant location. Materials and Methods Prostate surgical specimens from 499 patients submitted to radical retropubic prostatectomy were step-sectioned. Each transverse section was subdivided into 2 anterolateral and 2 posterolateral quadrants. Tumor extent was evaluated by a semi-quantitative point-count method. The index tumor (dominant nodule) was recorded as the maximal number of positive points of the most extensive tumor area from the quadrants and the predominant location was considered anterior (anterolateral quadrants), posterior (posterolateral quadrants), basal (quadrants in upper half of the prostate), apical (quadrants in lower half of the prostate), left (left quadrants) or right (right quadrants). Time to biochemical recurrence was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier product-limit analysis and prediction of shorter time to biochemical recurrence using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. Results Index tumors with predominant posterior location were significantly associated with higher total tumor extent, needle and radical prostatectomy Gleason score, positive lymph nodes and preoperative prostate-specific antigen. Index tumors with predominant basal location were significantly associated with higher preoperative prostate-specific antigen, pathological stage higher than pT2, extra-prostatic extension, and seminal vesicle invasion. Index tumors with predominant basal location were significantly associated with time to biochemical recurrence in Kaplan-Meier estimates and significantly predicted shorter time to biochemical recurrence on univariate analysis but not on multivariate analysis. Conclusions The study suggests that index tumor predominant location is associated with prognosis in radical prostatectomies, however, in multivariate analysis do not offer advantage over other well-established prognostic factors.

PURPOSE: The amount of extraprostatic extension and positive surgical margin correlates in most studies with biochemical recurrence following radical prostatectomy. We studied the influence of focal and diffuse extraprostatic extension and positive surgical margins on biochemical progression using a simple method for quantification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 360 prostates were step-sectioned and totally processed from 175 patients with stage T1c and 185 patients with clinical stage T2 submitted to radical retropubic prostatectomy. Extraprostatic extension was stratified into 2 groups: present up to 1 quadrant and/or section from the bladder neck or apex (Group 1, focal) and in more than 1 quadrant or section (Group 2, diffuse); and, positive surgical margin present up to 2 quadrants and/or sections (Group 1, focal) and in more than 2 quadrants or sections (Group 2, diffuse). The Kaplan-Meier product-limit analysis was used for the time to biochemical recurrence, and an univariate and multivariate Cox stepwise logistic regression model to identify significant predictors. RESULTS: Extraprostatic extension was found in 129/360 (35.8%) patients, 39/129 (30.2%) in Group 1 and 90/129 (69.8%) in Group 2. In univariate analysis but not in multivariate analysis, patients showing diffuse extraprostatic extension (Group 2) had a significant higher risk to develop biochemical recurrence in a shorter time. Positive surgical margin was present in 160/360 (44.4%) patients, 81/160 (50.6%) patients in Group 1 and 79/160 (49.4%) patients in Group 2. Patients with diffuse positive surgical margins (Group 2) had a significant higher risk in both univariate and multivariate analyses. Diffuse positive surgical margin was the strongest predictor on both analyses and an independent predictor on multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Diffuse extraprostatic extension in univariate analysis and positive surgical margins on both univariate and multivariate analyses are significant predictors of shorter time to biochemical progression following radical prostatectomy.

PURPOSE: Perineural invasion (PNI) on needle prostatic biopsies (NPB) has been controversial as a marker of extraprostatic extension and consequently for planning of nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy (RP). The aim of this study was to find whether tumor extent on NPB influences the value of PNI to predict stage > pT2 on RP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was based on 264 consecutive patients submitted to radical retropubic prostatectomy. Their NPB were matched with whole-mount processed and totally embedded surgical specimens. Tumor extent on NPB was evaluated as the percentage of linear tissue in mm containing carcinoma in all cores. Considering the median value, patients were stratified into 2 groups: harboring less or more extensive tumors on NPB. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to relate stage > pT2 to PNI and other clinical and pathological variables. RESULTS: In patients with more extensive tumors, PNI was predictive of stage > pT2 in univariate analysis but not in multivariate analysis. In less extensive tumors, PNI showed no association between any clinical or pathological variables studied; no difference in the time to biochemical progression-free status compared to patients without PNI; and, no predictive value for pathological stage > pT2 on both univariate and multivariate analyses. CONCLUSION: Tumor extent on NPB influences the predictive value of PNI for pathologic stage > pT2 on RP. With a higher number of small tumors currently detected, there is no evidence that perineural invasion should influence the decision on preservation of the nerve during radical prostatectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic inflammation of longstanding duration has been linked to the development of carcinoma in several organ systems. It is controversial whether there is any relationship of inflammatory atrophy to prostate cancer. It has been suggested that the proliferative epithelium in inflammatory atrophy may progress to high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and/or adenocarcinoma. The objective of our study is to compare on needle prostate biopsies of patients showing cancer the topographical relation of inflammatory atrophy and atrophy with no inflammation to adenocarcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The frequency and extent of the lesions were studied on 172 needle biopsies of patients with prostate cancer. In cores showing both lesions, the foci of atrophy were counted. Clinicopathological features were compared according to presence or absence of inflammation. RESULTS: Considering only cores showing adenocarcinoma, atrophy was seen in 116/172 (67.44%) biopsies; 70/116 (60.34%) biopsies showed atrophy and no inflammation and 46/116 (39.66%) biopsies showed inflammatory atrophy. From a total of 481 cores in 72 biopsies with inflammatory atrophy 184/481 (38.25%) cores showed no atrophy; 166/481 (34.51%) cores showed atrophy and no inflammation; 111/481 (23.08%) cores showed both lesions; and 20/481 (4.16%) showed only inflammatory atrophy. There was no statistically significant difference for the clinicopathological features studied. CONCLUSION: The result of our study seems not to favor the model of prostatic carcinogenesis in which there is a topographical relation of inflammatory atrophy to adenocarcinoma.

A classificação para linfomas não-Hodgkin (LNH) proposta pela Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) enfatiza a importância do imunofenótipo para o diagnóstico. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a utilidade da citologia combinada a citometria de fluxo para o diagnóstico de LNH, utilizando um painel de anticorpos monoclonais e estudo do ciclo celular. O material foi obtido através de aspiração de linfonodos por agulha fina de 78 pacientes. O painel de anticorpos monoclonais para análise em citometria de fluxo foi o seguinte: CD19/CD10, CD20/CD5, CD23, CD38/CD7, CD3/CD4, CD3/CD8, kappa/lambda. O diagnóstico final foi confirmado pela histologia convencional, considerada gold standard. Em 85% dos casos a citologia associada a imunofenotipagem e porcentagem de células em fase S permitiram um diagnóstico correto. Nos demais casos foi possível diferenciar linfomas B ou T e estimar grau de agressividade. O painel, embora pequeno, foi suficiente exceto para os anaplásicos e subclassificação dos linfomas T. Nestes casos, a morfologia foi mais importante que imunofenótipo, sendo este seguro apenas para linfomas linfoblásticos. A fração de fase S mostrou-se importante para diferenciar linfomas indolentes e de alto grau. Concluímos que esta técnica é uma boa alternativa para o diagnóstico de linfomas não-Hodgkin. Permite um diagnóstico rápido, menos invasivo, podendo ser repetida quando necessário, agilizando o tratamento.

The WHO classification of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma stresses the importance of the immunophenotype for diagnosis. The aim of our study was to evaluate the use of cytology together with flow cytometric examination using a panel of monoclonal antibodies including DNA S phase analysis. Material was obtained from lymph node aspiration of 78 patients. The panel for flow cytometric analysis comprised: CD19/CD10, CD20/CD5, CD23, CD3/CD4, CD3/CD8, CD38/CD7, kappa/lambda. The final diagnosis was confirmed by lymph node biopsy. In 85% of cases, cytology combined with immuno-phenotyping and percentage of Phase S cells allowed the correct diagnosis. In the remaining cases it was possible to differentiate T or B lymphomas and estimate their aggressiveness. The panel, although small, was sufficient in all cases except for anaplastic lymphoma. S-phase fraction was important for the diagnosis of large B-cell NHL vs. Follicular NHL. In cases of T-cell lymphomas a reliable diagnosis was only possible for lymphoblastic lymphomas. In conclusions, combined cytology and cytophotometric diagnosis of lymph node aspirations is a good alternative to histologic examination, except for T-cell lymphomas. In contrast to biopsy this method is less invasive and may be repeated if necessary.