Lymphadenectomy in Gleason 7 prostate cancer: Adherence to guidelines and effect on clinical outcomes

Background To examine usage trends, guideline adherence, and survival data for patients undergoing lymphadenectomy (LND) at the time of radical prostatectomy (RP) for Gleason 7 prostate cancer (PCa). Methods The SEER database was queried for all patients with nonmetastatic biopsy Gleason 7 PCa from 2004 to 2013. Distribution and trends of LND were analyzed. The Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center nomogram was applied to stratify patients based on risk of nodal disease at time of RP (<5% risk or ≥5% risk). Analyses were performed to determine covariates associated with LND receipt at time of RP and cancer-specific mortality (CSM). Results A total of 78,641 patients with either G34 or G43 PCa underwent RP (59,194 and 19,447, respectively). Of these patients, 61.2% of G34 and 73.5% of G43 patients underwent LND. During this 10-year period, the proportion of G43 patients undergoing LND remained relatively stable, whereas the proportion of G34 patients undergoing LND ranged between 55.9% and 67.9%. Regional differences were a predictor of LND receipt regardless of risk stratification, but did not translate to higher risk of CSM. Receipt of LND was not predictive of improved CSM in any of the cohorts analyzed. Conclusions The role of LND for Gleason 7 prostate adenocarcinoma is not yet standardized, as indicated by the variability of LND dissection rates. Receipt of LND did not improve CSM, and in G43 patients, it predicted higher CSM. As the effect of LND on CSM is uncertain, further evaluation of oncologic benefit in this patient population is warranted.