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“Finding the needle in a haystack”: oncologic evaluation of patients treated for LUTS with holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) versus transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate oncologic parameters of men with bothersome LUTS undergoing surgical treatment with HoLEP or TURP.

Methods

Five hundred and eighteen patients undergoing HoLEP (n = 289) or TURP (n = 229) were retrospectively analyzed for total PSA, prostate volume, PSA density, history of prostate biopsy, resected prostate weight, and histopathological features. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify independent predictors of incidental PCa (iPCa).

Results

Men undergoing HoLEP had a significantly higher total PSA (median 5.5 vs. 2.3 ng/mL) and prostate volume (median 80 vs. 41 cc), and displayed a greater reduction of prostate volume after surgery compared to TURP patients (median 71 vs. 50%; all p < 0.001). With a prevalence of incidental PCa (iPCa) of 15 and 17% for HoLEP and TURP, respectively, the choice of procedure had no influence on the detection of iPCa (p = 0.593). However, a higher rate of false-negative preoperative prostate biopsies was noted among iPCa patients in the HoLEP arm (40 vs. 8%, p = 0.007). In multivariate logistic regression, we identified patient age (OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.01–1.07, p = 0.013) and PSA density (OR 2.13; 95% CI 1.09–4.18, p = 0.028) as independent predictors for the detection of iPCa.

Conclusions

Despite differences in oncologic parameters, the choice of technique had no influence on the detection of iPCa. Increased patient age and higher PSA density were associated with iPCa. A higher rate of false-negative preoperative prostate biopsies was noted in HoLEP patients. Therefore, diagnostic assessment of LUTS patients requires a more adapted approach to exclude malignancy, especially in those with larger prostates.

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Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

A. Herlemann: data collection and analysis, and manuscript writing. K. Wegner: data collection and management, and data analysis. A. Roosen: project development and data collection. A. Buchner: data collection and analysis, and manuscript writing. P. Weinhold: data collection and management. A. Bachmann: data collection and management. CG. Stief: Project development, and data collection and management. C. Gratzke: Project development, and data collection and management. G. Magistro: Project development, data collection and analysis, and manuscript writing.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Giuseppe Magistro.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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For this type of study, formal consent is not required. This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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Herlemann, A., Wegner, K., Roosen, A. et al. “Finding the needle in a haystack”: oncologic evaluation of patients treated for LUTS with holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) versus transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). World J Urol 35, 1777–1782 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00345-017-2048-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00345-017-2048-y

Keywords

  • Benign prostatic hyperplasia
  • Incidental prostate cancer
  • Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate
  • Transurethral resection of the prostate
  • PSA density