The Korean Journal of Pathology 2006;40(6): 406-419.
Pathological Analysis of 1,000 Cases of Transrectal Ultrasoundguided Systematic Prostate Biopsy: Establishment of New Sample Processing Method and Diagnostic Utility of Immunohistochemistry.
Department of Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. gychoe@plaza.snu.ac.kr
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: We developed a new processing method for extended prostate needle biopsy, and evaluated diagnostic utility of routine immunohistochemistry in 1,000 consecutive unselected cases of transrectal ultrasound-guided systematic prostate biopsy.
METHODS: Four to five biopsy cores were embedded in one paraffin block. All the biopsy cores were immunohistochemically stained with basal cell markers.
RESULTS: The new sample processing method was technically perfect for making a diagnosis from extended prostate needle biopsy. Among 1,000 cases, there were 323 cases (32.3%) of adenocarcinoma, 5 cases of other malignant tumors, 9 cases of high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia without a carcinoma, and only 8 cases of atypical small acinar proliferation. Among the 323 cases of adenocarcinoma, there were 38 cases (11.8%) of microcarcinomas <0.1 cm and 101 cases (31.3%) of small adenocarcinomas <0.3 cm in length. In the needle biopsy specimens, 59 cases (18.3%) were classified as clinically insignificant carcinomas. Among them, 37 cases underwent radical prostatectomy, which turned out to be clinically significant carcinomas in 24 cases (64.9%).
CONCLUSIONS: Routinely performed immunohistochemistry combined with the new sample processing method is very effective for detecting microscopic carcinoma foci as well as differentiating carcinoma from benign conditions mimicking cancer.