Development of tumor selection on the basis of pathological staging in clinically localized prostate carcinoma

Four hundred and eighty-eight radical retropubic prostatectomies (RRP) were peformed on clinically localized prostate cancer at one institution within 5 years (1992-1996). These were then analyzed regarding the mig ration of pathological tumor stages towards more localized stages. Within the observation period, the annual rate of RRP increased by 81 % from 69 to 125 cases. The authors noted a decline in the occurrence of advanced tumor stages (65.0 % to 39.2 %) and small cancers (< 0.5 cc: 7.2 % to 1.6 %) and an increase in pathological T2 tumors (30.4% to 55.2 %). The rate of positive surgical margins declined from 34.7 % to 12.8 % (for all pathological stages). These data confirm trends which were observed in the USA with increasing detection and treatment of localized prostate cancer.