Carcinoma of the prostate: Prognostic evaluation of certain pathologic features in 208 radical prostatectomies

In a study of 208 total prostates removed surgically for early carcinoma of the prostate and studied by the step-section technique, we found that 97% were located either peripherally or both peripherally and centrally; 80% were bilateral, and 85% were multifocal. In most of the cases, the tumor was actually more extensive than detected by rectal examination, but there was reasonable agreement (74.5%) between the urologist and pathologist in assessing the presence of local extension of carcinoma. Evaluation of various factors affecting survival and mortality disclosed that an extension of the tumor to seminal vesicles or invasion of the capsule, whether detected clinically or pathologically, had an unfavorable prognosis while the side involved, the location of the tumor, and perineural invasion had no significant effect on the prognosis.