PTEN Protein Loss in Diagnostic Prostate Biopsies Is Associated with Gleason Score Upgrading in Radical Prostatectomy.
PTEN loss on biopsy linked to 3.5-fold higher risk of Gleason upgrading at prostatectomy
PTEN Protein Loss in Diagnostic Prostate Biopsies Is Associated with Gleason Score Upgrading in Radical Prostatectomy.
Prostate needle biopsy often underestimates tumor aggressiveness due to limited tissue sampling, leading to Gleason score upgrading after radical prostatectomy (radical prostatectomy).
This study evaluated whether reduced or absent PTEN immunoreactivity in diagnostic biopsies is associated with subsequent Gleason score and International Society of Urological Pathology (International Society of Urological Pathology) Grade Group upgrading in radical prostatectomy specimens.
Were stratified into PTEN-preserved (PTEN+, n = 75) and PTEN-deficient (PTEN-, n = 10) groups.
PTEN loss on biopsy means much higher odds of upgrading found at prostatectomy
Upgrading occurred in 70% (7/10) of PTEN-deficient cases compared with 20% (15/75) of PTEN-preserved cases.
Preoperative PSA levels ( p = 0.91) and Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) scores ( p = 0.73) did not differ significantly between the groups.
Reduced PTEN protein expression, as assessed by immunohistochemistry in prostate needle biopsies, was significantly associated with Gleason score/International Society of Urological Pathology Grade Group upgrading at radical prostatectomy.
PTEN immunohistochemistry warrants further evaluation as a potentially complementary tissue-based marker of biopsy undergrading.
However, the observed unadjusted association does not establish PTEN immunoreactivity as an independent predictor of upgrading.