Risk Factors for Pathologically Confirmed Lymph Nodes Metastasis in Patients With Clinical T2N0M0 Stage Prostate Cancer

OBJECTIVE: To explore the risk factors for postoperatively pathological lymph node metastasis in patients with clinical T2N0M0 stage prostate cancer (PCa). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinicopathological data of 316 patients with clinical T2 stage PCa and preoperative negative lymph nodes [LN(−)] indicated by imaging (cT2N0M0) between January 2014 and May 2019. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine risk factors for postoperatively pathological pLN(+) in patients with cT2N0M0 stage PCa. Spearman correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between tumor burden and Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System version 2 (PI-RADS v2) score. RESULTS: A total of 45 patients (14.2%) were confirmed by postoperative pathology to have LN metastasis. Univariate analysis indicated that total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA), PI-RADS v2 score, postoperative Gleason grade group (GGG), intraductal carcinoma of the prostate (IDC-P), clinical T2 substaging, and postoperative pathological tumor burden were risk factors for pLN(+) in all patients. Multivariate analysis showed that tPSA and postoperative GGG were risk factors for pLN(+) in all patients. Univariate analysis revealed that tPSA, PIRADS v2 score, clinical T2 substaging, IDC-P, postoperative pathological tumor burden, and postoperative GGG were risk factors for pLN(+) in patients with GGG ≥ 3. Multivariate analysis suggested that tPSA, PI-RADS v2 score, clinical T2 substaging, postoperative pathological tumor burden, and GGG were risk factors for pLN (+) in patients with GGG ≥ 3. Spearman correlation analysis showed that PI-RADS v2 score was positively correlated with clinical T2 substaging and postoperative pathological tumor burden. CONCLUSION: There was a high risk of LN metastasis in patients with cT2 PCa if they had high preoperative tPSA or high postoperative GGG. Patients with cT2 PCa and GGG ≥ 3 had a high risk of LN metastasis if they had high PI-RADS v2 score, high preoperative clinical stage or high postoperative pathological tumor burden. PI-RADS v2 score predicted tumor burden well in patients with GGG ≥ 3.