OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between age and Gleason score (GS) in patients with prostate adenocarcinoma.

METHODSThis study included 674 patients with pathologically confirmed prostate adenocarcinoma. We determined the GS, primary grade, and secondary grade of the cases, and compared them among different age groups.

RESULTSThe mean age of the patients was (70.22 ± 8.26) yr, ranging from 25 to 96 years, (69.06 ± 8.35) yr in those with GS 6, (70.55 ± 8.16) yr in GS 7, (70.99 ± 6.54) yr in GS 8, (71.56 ± 9.18) yr in GS 9, and (72.79 ± 11.36) in GS 10. The mean GS, primary grade, and secondary grade were 7.08 ± 1.09, 3.54 ± 0.72, and 3.53 ± 0.66, respectively, and the mean GSs in the < 60 yr, 60-69 yr, 70-79 yr, and ≥ 80 yr groups were 6.86 ± 1.10, 6.99 ± 1.10, 7.08 ± 1.04, and 7.38 ± 1.23, respectively. Those with GS 6, 7, and ≥ 8 accounted for 37.7%, 34.3%, and 28.0%, respectively. The patients aged < 60, 60-69, 70-79, and ≥ 80 years constituted 10.5% (71/674), 30.6% (206/674), 47.6% (321/674), and 11.3% (76/674), respectively. The age of the patients was significantly correlated with GS (r2 = 0.013, P = 0.003) and the primary grade (r2 = 0.014, P = 0.002), but not the secondary grade (r2 = 0.005, P = 0.055).

CONCLUSIONOf the prostate adenocarcinoma patients, those aged ≥ 70 years form a larger proportion, and those with GS ≥ 7 comprise a higher percentage. The age of the patient is correlated with Gleason score but has a limited value in its prediction.