Are repeat biopsies required in men with PSA levels < or =4 ng/ml? A Multiinstitutional Prospective European Study.

Objectives: Pathological and biochemical features of prostate cancers detected on repeat biopsies in men with total PSA level between 2.0 and 4 ng/ml were evaluated and compared to those cancers detected on first biopsy.

Methods: 315 men with PSA level between 2.0 and 4 ng/ml underwent transrectal ultrasound guided sextant biopsy and two additional transition zone biopsies (Octant Biopsy). All subjects whose biopsy samples were negative for prostate cancer underwent a repeat biopsy after 6 weeks. Those with clinically localized cancers were offered surgery or radiation therapy. Pathological and clinical features of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer on initial and repeat biopsy were compared.

Results: Cancer detection rates on first and second biopsy were 24% (75/315) and 13% (29/224), respectively. Overall, of patients with clinically localized disease (83% of cancers detected), 87% underwent radical prostatectomy, 11% opted for radiation therapy and 2% opted for watchful waiting. Cancers found in the first biopsy group were more multifocal (p = 0.01) while cancers found on second biopsy were more located in the apical-dorsal region (p = 0.003). No significant differences were noted with respect to extracapsular extension, seminal vesical invasion, positive margins, final pathological stage, Gleason score, percentage Gleason grade 4/5, serum PSA and patient age between first and second biopsy.

Conclusions: With an octant biopsy regime, biochemical and pathological features of cancers detected on initial and repeat biopsy in the PSA range 2.0 to 4 ng/ml are comparable in terms of PSA, grade, stage and cancer volume suggesting identical cancer characteristics, thus advocating for a repeat prostate biopsy in case of a negative finding on initial biopsy.