BACKGROUNDMany studies have shown that positive surgical margin and biochemical recurrence could impact the life of patients with prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy. With more and more patients with prostate cancer appeared in recent 20 years in China, it is necessary to investigate the risk of positive surgical margin and biochemical recurrence, and their possible impact on the prognosis of patients treated with radical prostatectomy. In this study, we analyzed the characteristics of patients with prostate cancer who had undergone radical prostatectomy in Macau area and tried to find any risk factor of positive surgical margin and biochemical recurrence and their relationship with the prognosis of these patients.

METHODSFrom 2000 to 2009, 149 patients with prostate cancer received radical prostatectomy and were followed up. Among these patients, 111 received retropubic radical prostatectomies, 38 received laparoscopic radical prostatectomies. All patients were followed-up on in the 3rd month, 6th month and from that point on every 6 months after operation. At each follow-up a detailed record of any complaint, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), full biochemical test and uroflowmetry was acquired.

RESULTSThe average age was (69.0 ± 6.1) years, preoperative average serum PSA was (10.1 ± 12.1) ng/ml and average Gleason score was 6.4 ± 1.3. The incidence of total complications was about 47.7%, the incidence of the most common complication, bladder outlet obstruction, was about 26.8%, and that of the second most common complication, urinary stress incontinence, was about 16.1% (mild 9.4% and severe 6.7%). The incidence of positive surgical margin was about 38.3%. The preoperative serum PSA ((13.4 ± 17.6) ng/ml), average Gleason score (7.1 ± 1.3) and pathological T stage score (7.0 ± 1.4) were higher in patients with positive surgical margins than those with negative margins ((8.0 ± 5.8) ng/ml, 6.0 ± 1.2 and 5.4 ± 1.4, respectively) (P = 0.004, P = 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). A univariate analysis showed that positive surgical margin had a positive statistical association with serum PSA (P = 0.007), Gleason score (P < 0.001), pathological T stage score (P < 0.001) and biochemical recurrence (BCR) (P = 0.035). The most common location of a positive surgical margin was in the apex of the prostate, which was about 63% (36/57). Sixty-four percent (23/36) of patients with positive surgical margin in apex were also involved in prostate lobe; other locations were prostate lobe (23%, 13/57), seminal vesicle (9%, 5/57). The multivariate analysis showed that positive surgical margin had a positive statistical association with Gleason score (P = 0.03) and pathological T stage score (P = 0.02). Neither univariate analysis or multivariate analysis showed any statistical relationship between BCR and any other risk factors covered in this study.

CONCLUSIONSPositive surgical margin is associated with pre-operative PSA, Gleason score, pathological T stage and biochemical recurrence. Earlier diagnosis and improved techniques of dissection of prostate apex could decrease the incidence of positive surgical margins.

Aged ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatectomy ; methods ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; blood ; pathology ; surgery ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUNDIncidence of prostate cancer has been increasing in recent decades. In the year 2005, prostate cancer became the second most common cancer in males in Macau. The purpose of this report was to review and summarize the clinical features and prognosis of the 54 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy in Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR), China.

METHODSFrom November 2000 to November 2006, retropubic radical prostatectomy were performed in 54 cases for the treatment of prostate cancer. The mean age of patients was 69.8 years (range from 54 to 79). The preoperative prostate specific antigen (PSA) level, postoperative pathologic stage and Gleason's score, operation duration, intraoperative bleeding and intraoperative and postoperative complications were reported. The follow-up duration was 3 months to 6.25 years with a mean of 2.1 years. Postoperative parameters including PSA alteration, biochemical recurrence, local recurrence, distant metastasis and mortality were observed.

RESULTSMost of the patients in our study were diagnosed as localized prostate cancer. The patients' preoperative serum PSA was 0-4.0 ng/ml (16.7%), 4.0-10.0 ng/ml (51.8%), 10.1-20.0 ng/ml (24.1%) and above 20.0 ng/ml (7.4%). The TNM stage T1a+T1b comprised 7.6% of patients, stage T2a+T2b comprised 20.3%, stage T2c 38.9%, stage T3a 20.3% and over T3a only 12.9%. There were 9.5% cases with Gleason scores of 2-4, 41.5% with scores of 5-6, 30.2% with scores of 7 and 18.8% with scores of 8 - 10. The average operative duration was 216 minutes and the average intraoperative bleeding was 760 ml. Intraoperative complications included one massive hemorrhage (1.9%), one rectal injury (1.9%) and one obturator nerve injury (1.9%). Early postoperative complications consisted of urinary incontinence (14 cases, 25.9%), bladder neck stricture (5 cases, 9.3%), acute urinary retention (4 cases, 7.4%), pelvic effusion (2 cases, 3.8%), lymphocele (1 case, 1.9%) and vesicorectal fistula (only 1 case, 1.9%). For late postoperative complications, total incontinence or severe incontinence occurred in 6 cases (11.1%), urge incontinence in 2 cases (3.8%) and bladder neck contracture in 8 cases (14.8%). The total postoperative recurrence rate was 14.8%. Only 5 cases of biochemical recurrence were noted (9.3%). One case (1.9%) of local recurrence associated with elevated PSA was found. There were 2 cases of distant metastasis with elevated PSA (3.8%).

CONCLUSIONRadical prostatectomy is a safe and effective method for the treatment of localized prostate cancer in Macau.

Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; epidemiology ; Prostatectomy ; adverse effects ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; surgery