A Retrospective Study on Pathologic Features and Racial Disparities in Prostate Cancer

Abstract

We reviewed more than 3,000 pathology reports on prostate cancer-related surgical specimens and analyzed racial disparities in histological and clinical features at the time of initial biopsy, diagnosis of prostate cancer, and prostatectomy, as well as in characteristics of tumor evolution between African American and Caucasian patients. As compared to Caucasians, African American patients had younger age, higher cancer detection rate, higher Gleason score of prostate cancer, and more bilateral involvement of the prostate. African Americans also had larger prostates, greater volume of tumor, and more positive margins. The diagnosis of HGPIN or ASAP in prostate biopsies and African American race conferred an increased risk of diagnosis of prostate cancer. The interval between prior noncancerous biopsy and the subsequent biopsy with diagnosis of prostate cancer was shorter in men with HGPIN, with ASAP, or of African American race.