Incidence of impalpable carcinoma of the prostate and of non-malignant and precarcinomatous lesions in Greek male population: An autopsy study

• Published in: The Prostate 2006-09, Vol.66 (12), p.1319-1328
• Main Authors: Stamatiou, Konstantinos, Alevizos, A., Agapitos, E., Sofras, F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenomatous Polyps - diagnosis; Adenomatous Polyps - epidemiology; Adenomatous Polyps - pathology; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Atrophy - pathology; atypical adenomatous hyperplasia; Autopsy; autopsy study; benign prostate hypertrophy; Biological and medical sciences; Digital Rectal Examination; Greece - epidemiology; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; impalpable prostate carcinoma; Incidence; Male; Male genital diseases; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Precancerous Conditions - diagnosis; Precancerous Conditions - epidemiology; Precancerous Conditions - pathology; Prostate - pathology; Prostatic Hyperplasia - diagnosis; Prostatic Hyperplasia - epidemiology; Prostatic Hyperplasia - pathology; prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia; Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia - diagnosis; Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia - epidemiology; Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia - pathology; Prostatic Neoplasms - diagnosis; Prostatic Neoplasms - epidemiology; Prostatic Neoplasms - pathology; Tumors; Tumors of the urinary system; Urinary tract. Prostate gland
• ISSN: 0270-4137; 1097-0045
• DOI: 10.1002/pros.20339

OBJECTIVE The present study investigates the incidence of impalpable carcinoma of the prostate and the pathological findings of impalpable prostate carcinoma (PC) detected in autopsy material. The frequency of pre‐carcinomatous and non‐carcinomatous lesions as well as their relationship to the impalpable PC, were also examined. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data were obtained from 212 autopsy specimens of the prostate gland, of men aged above 30 and under 98 years of age, born and living in Greece, who died (between 8/2002 and 8/2004), of causes other than carcinoma of the prostate. RESULTS The age‐independent frequency of histological PC in our study's population is 18.8% (ranging from 0% to 56.2% according to different age groups), whereas the age‐independent frequency of histological benign prostate hyperplasia is 65.5% (ranging from 27.7% to 90.6%), of atypical adenomatous hyperplasia 15.5% (ranging from 5.5% to 25%), of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) 26.4% (ranging from 5.5% to 47.2%) and of prostate atrophy (PA) 10.3% (ranging from 0% to 43.7%). There was a statistically significant correlation between PIN and PC volume. Most impalpable carcinomas found within necropsy material were characterized by small volume, favorable histological type, and relatively low aggressiveness. The prevalence of PC and pre‐carcinomatous lesions in our study population appears to be lower than that of most autopsy studies. CONCLUSIONS The frequency of clinical PC in a certain population could be related to the frequency and prevalent model of impalpable carcinoma as well as to the frequency of pre‐carcinomatous lesions. Prostate © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.