Major shifts in the treatment and prognosis of prostate cancer due to changes in pathological diagnosis and grading Journal Article


Authors: Berney, D. M.; Fisher, G.; Kattan, M. W.; Oliver, R. T. D.; Møller, H.; Fearn, P.; Eastham, J.; Scardino, P.; Cuzick, J.; Reuter, V. E.; Foster, C. S.
Article Title: Major shifts in the treatment and prognosis of prostate cancer due to changes in pathological diagnosis and grading
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To examine data on the changes in the accuracy of the diagnosis of prostate cancer and of Gleason grading in the modern era. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study comprised a pathological review within a multicentre study of patients with clinically localized prostate cancer diagnosed in the UK from 1991 to 1996 (inclusive) and treated by watchful-waiting or hormonal therapy alone. The clinical follow-up was available, histopathological appearances were reviewed and the Gleason score at diagnosis was compared with the Gleason score as analysed by a panel of genitourinary pathologists using internationally agreed criteria. In all, 1789 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1991 and 1996 were reviewed, with disease-specific survival as the main outcome measure. RESULTS: In all, 133 patients (7%) were reassigned a nonmalignant diagnosis. There was a significant reassignment in the Gleason score for those with cancer, with increases of Gleason score across a wide spectrum. In multivariate analysis the revised Gleason score was a more accurate predictor of prognosis than the original score. CONCLUSION: Misdiagnosis and reassignment of Gleason score at diagnosis would have guided clinicians into large-scale changes in the management of patients. Current rates of misdiagnosis are unknown. If applicable nationally, these changes would have profound effects on the workload of prostate cancer management in the UK. © 2007 BJU International.
Keywords: cancer survival; retrospective studies; major clinical study; cancer patient; follow up; cancer diagnosis; neoplasm staging; cancer grading; prostate cancer; gleason score; prostate-specific antigen; prostatic neoplasms; patient care; prostate; diagnostic errors; biopsy, needle; watchful waiting; diagnostic error; multivariate analysis; hormonal therapy; misdiagnosis; transurethral resection of prostate; gleason grading
Journal Title: BJU International
Volume: 100
Issue: 6
ISSN: 1464-4096
Publisher: Wiley Blackwell  
Date Published: 2007-12-01
Start Page: 1240
End Page: 1243
Language: English
DOI: 10.1111/j.1464-410X.2007.07199.x
PUBMED: 17979924
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: --- - "Cited By (since 1996): 21" - "Export Date: 17 November 2011" - "CODEN: BJINF" - "Source: Scopus"
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  1. Peter T Scardino
    671 Scardino
  2. James Eastham
    537 Eastham
  3. Victor Reuter
    1228 Reuter
  4. Paul A Fearn
    59 Fearn