Gleason score and tumor laterality in radical prostatectomy and transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy of the prostate: a comparative study

We aimed to compare Gleason score and tumor laterality between transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy of the prostate (TRUSBX) and radical prostatectomy (RP). Some factors that could cause a discrepancy in results between these two procedures were also evaluated. Among the 318 cases reviewed, 191 cases were selected for inclusion in this comparative study. We divided the patients into two groups using the Gleason score: an intermediate/high-grade group (≥7) and a low-grade group ( 0.05). Thus, our study showed that TRUSBX has a high likelihood of underestimating both the Gleason score and tumor laterality in prostate cancer (PCa). The size of the fragment appears to be an important factor influencing the likelihood of laterality underestimation and Gleason score overestimation via TRUSBX. Due to the high likelihood of underestimation of the Gleason score and tumor laterality by 12-core prostate biopsy, we conclude that this type of biopsy should not be used alone to guide therapy in PCa.