Purpose: The long-term prognosis of men with Gleason score 7 adenocarcinoma of the prostate is uncertain.
Materials and methods: We studied 488 men whose radical prostatectomy specimen showed Gleason score 7 tumor without involvement of the seminal vesicles or lymph nodes. Of the 400 men without progression 318 had been followed for 2 years or more and 93 for 7 years or more.
Results: Cases of organ confined disease and negative margins regardless of extent of extraprostatic extension had roughly similar and better prognoses than cases of focal and established extraprostatic extension with positive margins. The greater influence of margin status on progression (p <0.0001) compared to extent of extraprostatic extension (p = 0.023) was evidenced in the multivariate analysis. Of 30 men with established extraprostatic extension and positive margins 6 (20%) had progression to distant metastases, which was similar to 14 of 58 (24%) without established extraprostatic extension and positive margins. There was no difference in response to radiotherapy between men with established extraprostatic extension and positive margins compared to the other cases.
Conclusions: Margins status greatly influences the risk of progression in men with Gleason score 7 tumors. Among men with Gleason score 7 tumors, except for those with established extraprostatic extension and positive margins, more than 50% appear to be cured at long-term followup. Because of the high risk of progression in patients with positive margins, clinical studies of adjuvant therapy in this population appear warranted.