prostate-report.org

The predictive value of stage, grade and PSA for recurrence after radical prostatectomy as a function of surgeon experience

In a new analysis of their database of over 8,000 patients treated at three major prostate cancer centers, a sientific team at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, has now investigated the association between biological predictors of progression (stage, Gleason grade and PSA level) and biochemical recurrence for subgroups of patients defined by the experience of their surgeon.

The likelihood (odds ratio, OR) of disease recurrence in patients with Gleason scores of ? 8 and advanced pathologic stage was dramatically lower when patients were treated exclusively by surgeons with higher levels of experience.

The authors note that their findings “have no direct clinical implications,” but that future studies investigating biological variables as predictors of outcome after radical prostatectomy (and perhaps after surgical treatment for other forms of cancer too) should consider the impact of surgeon-specific factors.