Sonoelastographic evaluation with the determination of compressibility ratio for symmetrical prostatic regions in the diagnosis of clinically significant prostate cancer

Aim: Sonoelastography is a technique that assesses tissue hardness/compressibility. Utility and sensitivity of the method in prostate cancer diagnostics were assessed compared to the current gold standard in prostate cancer diagnostics i.e. systematic biopsy. Material and methods: The study involved 84 patients suspected of prostate cancer based on elevated PSA levels or abnormal per rectal examination findings. Sonoelastography was used to evaluate the prostate gland. In the case of regions with hardness two-fold greater than that of symmetric prostate area (strain ratio >2), targeted biopsy was used; which was followed by an ultrasound-guided 8- or 10-core systematic biopsy (regardless of sonoelastography-indicated sites) as a reference point. Results: The mean age of patients was 69 years. PSA serum levels ranged between 1.02 and 885 ng/dl. The mean prostate volume was 62 ml (19–149 ml). Prostate cancer was found in 39 out of 84 individuals. Statistically significant differences in strain ratios between cancers and benign lesions were shown. Sonoelastography guided biopsy revealed 30 lesions – overall sensitivity 77% (sensitivity of the method – 81%). Sonoelastographic sensitivity increased depending on cancer stage according to the Gleason grading system: 6–60%, 7–75%, 8–83%, 9/10–100%. The estimated sensitivity of systematic biopsy was 92%. Conclusions: Sonoelastography shows higher diagnostic sensitivity in prostate cancer diagnostics compared to conventional imaging techniques, i.e. grey-scale TRUS, Doppler ultrasound. It allows to reduce the number of collected tissue cores, and thus limit the incidence of complications as well as the costs involved. Sonoelastography using the determination of compressibility ratio for symmetrical prostatic regions may prove useful in the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer.Cel pracy: Elastosonografia jest techniką oceniającą twardość/ściśliwość tkanek. Badano użyteczność i czułość tej metody w diagnostyce raka stercza w porównaniu z obecnie obowiązującym złotym standardem w diagnostyce raka gruczołu krokowego – biopsją systematyczną. Materiał i metoda: Badaniu poddano 84 chorych z podejrzeniem raka stercza na podstawie podwyższonego poziomu PSA lub nieprawidłowości w badaniu per rectum. Ocenę gruczołu krokowego wykonywano przy pomocy elastosonografii. W przypadku miejsc o twardości przekraczającej ponad dwukrotnie twardość symetrycznego obszaru prostaty (stosunek odkształcenia >2) stosowano biopsję celowaną; następnie u każdego chorego przeprowadzano pod kontrolą USG biopsję systematyczną 8- lub 10-rdzeniową (niezależnie od wskazań elastosonografii), jako punkt odniesienia. Wyniki: Średni wiek chorych wynosił 69 lat. Poziom PSA w surowicy krwi mieścił się w zakresie 1,02–885 ng/dl. Średnia objętość gruczołu krokowego wynosiła 62 ml (19–149 ml). Pośród 84 badanych raka prostaty ujawniono u 39 osób. Wykazano statystycznie istotne różnice wartości stosunku odkształcenia między rakami i zmianami łagodnymi. Biopsja pod kontrolą elastosonografii ujawniła 30 zmian – czułość (overall sensitivity) 77% (sensitivity of the method – 81%). Czułość elastosonografii wzrastała w zależności od stopnia zaawansowania w skali Gleasona: 6–60%, 7–75%, 8–83%, 9/10–100%. Czułość biopsji systematycznej oszacowano na 92%. Wnioski: Elastosonografia ma wyższą czułość w diagnostyce raka stercza niż konwencjonalnie używane techniki obrazowania, tj.: TRUS w skali szarości, USG dopplerowskie. Pozwala zredukować liczbę pobieranych rdzeni tkankowych, a co za tym idzie – zmniejszyć liczbę powikłań i ograniczyć koszty. Elastosonografia z oznaczeniem stosunku ściśliwości symetrycznych obszarów stercza może być pomocna w wykryciu klinicznie istotnego raka gruczołu krokowego

Incidental Diagnosis of Urothelial Bladder Cancer: Associations with Overall Survival

Background: We investigated whether an incidental diagnosis (ID) of bladder cancer (BC) was associated with improved survival. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data of consecutive patients with no prior diagnosis of urothelial cancer who underwent a primary transurethral resection of bladder tumor (pTURBT) between January 2013 and February 2021 and were subsequently diagnosed with urothelial BC. The type of diagnosis (incidental or non-incidental) was identified. Overall, relative, recurrence-free, and progression-free survival rates (OS, RS, RFS, and PFS) after pTURBT were evaluated using the Kaplan–Meier curves and long-rank tests. A multivariable Cox regression model for the overall mortality was developed. Results: A total of 435 patients were enrolled. The median follow-up was 2.7 years. ID cases were more likely to be low-grade (LG) and non-muscle-invasive. ID vs. non-ID was associated with a trend toward an improved 7-year OS (66% vs. 49%, p = 0.092) and a significantly improved 7-year OS, if incidental cases were limited to ultrasound-detected tumors (75% vs. 49%, p = 0.013). ID was associated with improved survival among muscle-invasive BC (MIBC) patients (3-year RS: 97% vs. 23%, p < 0.001), but not among other subgroups stratified according to disease stage or grade. In multivariable analysis, only age, MIBC, and high-grade (HG) cancer demonstrated an association with mortality. PFS and RFS among non-MIBC patients did not differ in regard to the type of diagnosis. Conclusions: Incidental diagnosis may contribute to an improved survival in BC patients, most probably in the mechanism of the relative downgrading of the disease, including the possible overdiagnosis of LG tumors. Nevertheless, in the subgroup analyses, we noted marked survival benefits in MIBC cases. Further prospective studies are warranted to gain a deeper understanding of the observed associations

Incidental Diagnosis of Urothelial Bladder Cancer: Associations with Overall Survival

Background: We investigated whether an incidental diagnosis (ID) of bladder cancer (BC) was associated with improved survival. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data of consecutive patients with no prior diagnosis of urothelial cancer who underwent a primary transurethral resection of bladder tumor (pTURBT) between January 2013 and February 2021 and were subsequently diagnosed with urothelial BC. The type of diagnosis (incidental or non-incidental) was identified. Overall, relative, recurrence-free, and progression-free survival rates (OS, RS, RFS, and PFS) after pTURBT were evaluated using the Kaplan&ndash;Meier curves and long-rank tests. A multivariable Cox regression model for the overall mortality was developed. Results: A total of 435 patients were enrolled. The median follow-up was 2.7 years. ID cases were more likely to be low-grade (LG) and non-muscle-invasive. ID vs. non-ID was associated with a trend toward an improved 7-year OS (66% vs. 49%, p = 0.092) and a significantly improved 7-year OS, if incidental cases were limited to ultrasound-detected tumors (75% vs. 49%, p = 0.013). ID was associated with improved survival among muscle-invasive BC (MIBC) patients (3-year RS: 97% vs. 23%, p &lt; 0.001), but not among other subgroups stratified according to disease stage or grade. In multivariable analysis, only age, MIBC, and high-grade (HG) cancer demonstrated an association with mortality. PFS and RFS among non-MIBC patients did not differ in regard to the type of diagnosis. Conclusions: Incidental diagnosis may contribute to an improved survival in BC patients, most probably in the mechanism of the relative downgrading of the disease, including the possible overdiagnosis of LG tumors. Nevertheless, in the subgroup analyses, we noted marked survival benefits in MIBC cases. Further prospective studies are warranted to gain a deeper understanding of the observed associations