science

Histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer

Histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer rather than just read about it. In short: A histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer is the discernment of whether there is a cancer in the prostate, as well as specifying any subdiagnosis of prostate cancer if possible. The histopathologic subdiagnosis of prostate cancer has implications for the possibility and methodology of any subsequent Gleason scoring.

Key takeaways

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Reference excerpt

A histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer is the discernment of whether there is a cancer in the prostate, as well as specifying any subdiagnosis of prostate cancer if possible. The histopathologic subdiagnosis of prostate cancer has implications for the possibility and methodology of any subsequent Gleason scoring. The most common histopathological subdiagnosis of prostate cancer is acinar adenocarcinoma, constituting 93% of prostate cancers. The most common form of acinar adenocarcinoma, in turn, is "adenocarcinoma, not otherwise specified", also termed conventional, or usual acinar adenocarcinoma.

Sampling

The main sources of tissue sampling are prostatectomy and prostate biopsy.

Subdiagnoses - overview

In uncertain cases, a diagnosis of malignancy can be excluded by immunohistochemical detection of basal cells (or confirmed by absence thereof), such as using the PIN-4 cocktail of stains, which targets p63, CK-5, CK-14 and AMACR (latter also known as P504S). Other prostate cancer tumor markers may be necessary in cases that remain uncertain after microscopy.

Acinar adenocarcinoma These constitute 93% of prostate cancers.

Microscopic characteristics Specific but relatively rare

Collagenous micronodules Glomerulations, epithelial proliferations into one or more gland lumina, typically a cribriform tuft with a single attachment to the gland wall. Perineural invasion. It should be circumferential Angiolymphatic invasion Extraprostatic extension

Relatively common and highly specific

Multiple nucleoli Eccentric nucleoli

Less specific findings. Mitoses (also seen in for example high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) and prostate inflammation). Prominent nucleoli Intraluminal eosinophilic secretion Intraluminal blue mucin

In uncertain cases, a diagnosis of malignancy can be discarded by immunohistochemical detection of basal cells.

Intraductal carcinoma

Intraductal carcinoma of the prostate gland (IDCP), which is now categorised as a distinct entity by WHO 2016, includes two biologically distinct diseases. IDCP associated with invasive carcinoma (IDCP-inv) generally represents a growth pattern of invasive prostatic adenocarcinoma while the rarely encountered pure IDCP is a precursor of prostate cancer. The diagnostic criterion of nuclear size at least 6 times normal is ambiguous as size could refer to either nuclear area or diameter. If area, then this criterion could be re-defined as nuclear diameter at least three times normal as it is difficult to visually compare area of nuclei. It is also unclear whether IDCP could also include tumors with ductal morphology. There is no consensus whether pure IDCP in needle biopsies should be managed with re-biopsy or radical therapy. A pragmatic approach would be to recommend radical therapy only for extensive pure IDCP that is morphologically unequivocal for high-grade prostate cancer. Active surveillance is not appropriate when low-grade invasive cancer is associated with IDCP, as such patients usually have unsampled high-grade prostatic adenocarcinoma. It is generally recommended that IDCP component of IDCP-inv should be included in tumor extent but not grade. However, there are good arguments in favor of grading IDCP associated with invasive cancer. WHO 2016 recommends that IDCP should not be graded, but it is unclear whether this applies to both pure IDCP and IDCP-inv.

Ductal adenocarcinoma may have a prominent cribriforming architecture, with glands appearing relatively round, and may thereby mimic intraductal adenocarcinoma, but can be distinguished by the following features:

Further workup Further workup of a diagnosis of prostate cancer includes mainly:

Gleason score Prostate cancer staging

Notes

Reference list

Sources This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license. (license statement/permission). Text taken from adenocarcinoma Prostate adenocarcinoma, Patholines.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer

In research: Histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Histopathology, Prostate cancer, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer in 20 minutes

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Frequently asked questions

What is Histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer in simple terms?

Why does Histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer.