Congress abstract

Chun F, Ward JF, Huland H, Köllermann J, Sauter G, Graefen M, Babaian RJ, Haese A. Eur Urol Suppl 2009;8:276 (abs. 623)

  • This abstract was presented as a poster at the 24th annual meeting of the European Association of Urology (EAU), 17-21 March 2009 in Stockholm, Sweden
  • This study in 196 men undergoing radical prostatectomy showed that an increasing PCA3 (Prostate CAncer gene 3) Score corresponded with increasing tumour volumes on radical prostatectomy
  • The PCA3 Score correlated statistically significantly with tumour volume: r=0.269; P<0.001
  • The median PCA3 Score was statistically significantly lower in men with a tumour volume < 0.5 mL vs. > 0.5 mL, < 1 mL vs. > 1 mL and < 2 mL vs. > 2 mL (Figure)
  • The median PCA3 Score was statistically significantly higher in men with pathologically significant vs. insignificant prostate cancer (pathologically insignificant cancer defined as pT2, Gleason Score < 3+3, tumour volume < 0.5 mL; Figure)
  • The PCA3 Score did not correlate with prostate volume (r=0.027, P=0.715) or prostate specific antigen (PSA) level (r=0.049, P=0.499)
  • It was concluded that the PCA3 Scores correlates with tumour volume and significance of PCa in men undergoing radical prostatectomy

PCA3 Score related to tumour volume

PCA3 Score is higher is significant cancer compared to insignificant cancer

Editorial comment

Widespread use of PSA testing and increase awareness about prostate cancer screening has led to the increased detection of many “indolent” cancers, i.e. cancers that are unlikely to threaten men and could benefit from active surveillance rather than from aggressive treatment.

Avoiding overtreatment of these “indolent” prostate cancer is clearly the challenge we are facing in the next few years. Additional innovative tests are clearly needed, considering the limited value of predicting the indolent nature of a cancer based solely on PSA or digital rectal examination (DRE) and biopsy results.

Together with the results reported by Ward et al at the EAU 2009, poster N°690, the data presented here demonstrate that PCA3 may prove very useful in guiding patients and physicians in the difficult decision between active surveillance and active treatment.

More information: Abstract

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