Patients who have a benign transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and high prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels may require more extensive follow-up than those patients with a benign transurethral resection of the prostate and low PSA levels.

As Maria Hilscher, MD, Copenhagen Prostate Center, Rigshospitalet, Cophenhagen, Denmark and colleagues wrote, “the oncological risks after benign histology on a transurethral resection of the prostate remain largely unknown.” In this population-based study, the researchers aimed to determine the probability of prostate cancer incidence and death post transurethral resection of the prostate, as well as how aggressive prostate tumors that are not readily detected with limited prostate samplings may be.

A total of 42558 patients who underwent at least one transurethral resection of the prostate and had a benign histology between 1995 and 2016 were identified via the Danish Prostate Cancer Registry. Risks of prostate cancer, prostate cancer with a Gleason score ≥3 and 4, and prostate cancer specific-death were assessed for these patients.

The 10-year risk of prostate cancer and prostate cancer with a Gleason score ≥3 and 4, and 15-year risk of prostate cancer specific-death showed clear relations with increasing PSA. The 15-year cumulative incidence of prostate cancer-specific death after benign transurethral resection of the prostate was 1.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3% to 1.6%) for all men, and 0.8% (95% CI, 0.6% to 1.1%) for men with PSA levels <10 ng/mL.

The study authors concluded that “the risk of prostate cancer and prostate cancer-specific death following a [transurethral resection of the prostate] with a benign histology is very low and comparable to the risk for men with a negative prostate biopsy.” They added, “prostate tumors that are hard to find are highly unlikely to lead to mortality.”

Source:

Hilscher M, Røder A, Helgstrand T, et al. Risk of prostate cancer and death after benign transurethral resection of the prostate — A 20-year population-based analysis. Cancer. Published online August 17, 2022. doi: 10.1002/cncr.34407