Pathologic Differentiation and Prognosis of Prostatic Carcinoma

Abstract

The morphologic appearance of has been well described 8,53,54 and is generally considered noncontroversial; however, the histologic criteria for classification of this cancer according to degree of malignancy are not well understood and certainly not generally accepted. 55,56 The fact that cellular and structural variations from the benign to the most anaplastic forms of malignancy may be seen in a single microscopic section of a specimen accounts in part for this disagreement. The pathologist must decide whether the most representative cellular pattern or the area of greatest cellular anaplasia should be taken as indicative of the growth potential of the tumor. 57 Since it is generally agreed that adenofibromatous hyperplasia is not neoplastic, almost all prostate tumors are malignant. In common usage, prostatic carcinoma is synonymous with adenocarcinoma, since the latter accounts for about 97% of these tumors. The remaining tumors are the rare sarcomas and squamous