Biochemical Recurrence Following Radical Prostatectomy: a Comparison Between Prostate Cancers Located in Different Anatomical Zones

Background: To assess whether differences of biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy exist between prostate cancers located in the transition zone (TZ) and peripheral zone (PZ).

Methods: The 5-year biochemical recurrence rate of 307 patients was evaluated. A serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) level > or =0.1 ng/ml was defined as biochemical failure. Cancers were characterized by the location of the largest tumor area as TZ or PZ cancers. Pure PZ cancers were matched to TZ cancers by comparable pathological tumor stage, Gleason score, and surgical margin status.

Results: In 63 (20.5%) patients the largest tumor area was located in the TZ. A Kaplan-Meier analysis of the matched pairs calculated an 80% actuarial cure rate of TZ cancers compared to 89% of pure PZ cancers (log-rank test P = 0.742).

Conclusions: TZ and pure PZ cancers matched by comparable pathological tumor stage, Gleason score, and surgical margin status showed no statistical difference in regard to biochemical cure following radical prostatectomy.