Comparison of T1c versus T2 prostate cancers in Japanese patients undergoing radical prostatectomy.

In order to examine the characteristics of patients with nonpalpableprostate cancer (T1c cancer) in Japan, patients treated with radicalprostatectomy were compared with those with palpable (T2) cancer.Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level in patients with T2b disease wassignificantly higher than those with T1c and T2a tumors. At the time ofradical prostatectomy, 78%, 71% and 31% of patients with T1c, T2a, and T2b, respectively, had organ-confined disease. When insignificant cancerwas defined as volume 0.5 ml or less and Gleason score less than 5, only 2 of34 (5.9%) with clinical T1c disease were clinically insignificant. T1c cancerswere clinically significant and clinicopathological features of T1c tumorswere similar to T2a tumors. PSA measurement could detect potentiallycurable prostate cancer.