Association of baseline prostate atrophy with lower tumor volume in men with prostate cancer on repeat biopsy.

Abstract

122 Background: We have previously shown baseline prostate atrophy (PA) was independently associated with lower prostate cancer (PC) risk. Beyond PC risk, for those who develop PC it is unclear whether PA is associated with smaller, less aggressive and/or less advanced tumors. Thus, we evaluated whether baseline PA and PA severity in men with initial negative biopsy for PC was associated with PC volume at the 2-year repeat prostate biopsy. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 763 men 50-75 years-old with negative baseline prostate biopsy and positive 2-year repeat biopsy for PC with complete data in the REDUCE study. Presence and severity of PA, and tumor volume were determined by central pathology. The association of PA at baseline biopsies with 2-year repeat biopsy cancer volume variables was evaluated with linear and Poisson regressions and controlling for age, race, body-mass index (BMI), digital rectal exam (DRE), prostate volume, baseline and pre-repeat biopsy prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and treatment arm. Results: PA was detected in 458 (60%) baseline biopsies and was considered mild in 398 (87%) and moderate in 60 (13%) cases. Patients with PA had significantly larger prostates and lower baseline and pre-repeat biopsy PSA (P < 0.01). PA was unrelated to race, BMI, DRE or treatment arm. At 2-year biopsy, men with baseline PA had significantly lower overall mean total tumor volume (2.04µL vs 3.02µL; P = 0.006), mean number of biopsy cores involved (1.79 vs 2.11; P = 0.001), mean percent of cores involved (17.9% vs 21.2%; P = 0.001), average core involvement (0.20µL vs 0.30µL; P = 0.001) and overall mean percent tumor involvement (1.64% vs 2.35%; P = 0.006) than those without PA. The results were virtually unchanged in multivariable analysis (all P < 0.05 except for overall percent tumor involvement where P = 0.061). In the analysis of PA severity, a biological gradient was observed where moderate PA was associated with greater reduction in tumor volume compared to mild PA (data not shown). Conclusions: In a cohort of men with 2-year repeat prostate biopsy positive for PC after a negative baseline biopsy, baseline PA was associated with lower PC volume. These results suggest PA may be associated with less aggressive PC.