The Importance of Tumor Length in Needle Biopsies of the Prostate

Abstract Objectives To form a composite predictor variable that combines the effects of tumor length, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and International Society of Urologic Pathologists (ISUP) grade on the observation of adverse prostatectomy pathology. Methods Logistic regression analysis was used to demonstrate how tumor length, serum PSA, and ISUP grade related to adverse prostatectomy results and to derive weighting factors for a composite variable, cx. Results The composite variable, cx, relates closely to adverse prostatectomy results as well as to observed PSA failure. Conclusions The composite variable cx uses preoperative information that may allow the sorting of patients into low, intermediate, and high risk for adverse outcomes after prostatectomy.