Novel ultrasound-based volume estimation of prostatic benign enlargement to improve decision-making on surgical approach

Improving Prostatic Preoperative Volume Estimation and Planning before Laser Enucleation

We aimed to validate a formula for improving the estimation of prostatic volume by abdominal ultrasound (AUS) prior to transurethral laser enucleation. A total of 293 patients treated for benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) by laser enucleation from 2019−2022 were included. The preoperative AUS volume was adjusted by the formula 1.082 × Age + 0.523 × AUS − 53.845, which was based on specimens retrieved by suprapubic prostatectomy. The results were compared to the weight of the tissue removed by laser enucleation as determined by the intraclass correlation coefficient test (ICC). The potential impact of preoperative planning on operating time was calculated. The ICC between the adjusted volumes and the enucleated tissue weights was 0.86 (p < 0.001). The adjusted volume was more accurate than the AUS volume (weight-to-volume ratio of 0.84 vs. 0.7, p < 0.001) and even more precise for prostates weighing >80 g. The median operating time was 90 min. The adjusted volume estimation resulted in an overall shorter expected preoperative operating time by a median of 21 min (24%) and by a median of 40 min in prostates weighing >80 g. The adjustment formula accurately predicts prostate volume before laser enucleation procedures and may significantly improve preoperative planning, the matching of a surgeon’s level of expertise, and the management of patients’ expectations.

Incidental Prostate Cancer from Prostate with Benign Biopsies: A Predictive and Survival Analysis from Cohort Study

Purpose

This cohort was to evaluate incidental prostate cancer (iPCa) from men with preoperative benign biopsies and demonstrate their outcomes under different managements.

Patients and Methods

Between 2015 and 2017, we analyzed the risk factors having iPCa from surgical specimens from men provided with benign preoperative biopsies of their prostates. Furthermore, we compared the survival outcomes according to the different managements after iPCa was diagnosed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was utilized to find the best thresholds. Univariable and multivariable nested logit regression were performed to estimate the effect size of different independent variables. Odds ratio (OR) was expressed with 95% confidence interval, and the alpha level was 5%.

Results

In 295 men we enrolled, there were 57 (19%) men having iPCa from surgical specimens. In univariable logit regression, we found significant variables of age, PSA, prostatic volume, PSA velocity ≥ 0.75 ng/mL/year for 3 years, taking 5α reductase inhibitors, abnormal digital rectal examination, cores of biopsy and surgical methods. In multivariable model, PSA was the strongest variable predicting iPCa (OR 3.81 [2.04–7.07]; Wald: 17.75; p < 0.001). In ROC curve, the best threshold was 9.025 ng/mL (area under curve: 0.95; sensitivity: 0.947; specificity: 0.866). In Kaplan–Meier curve of 27.89-month follow-up, robot-assisted simple prostatectomy (RASP) can provide similar PSA progression-free period as robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) following transurethral surgeries in organ-confined cancer (Log rank test, p = 0.293), and both of them were better than external-beam radiation therapy (RT) following transurethral surgeries (Log rank test, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

PSA was the strongest variable to predict iPCa out of prostate with preoperative benign biopsies. RASP was parallel to RARP following transurethral surgeries in organ-confined cancer in the short term.