DISTRIBUTION AND SIGNIFICANCE OF MICROCALCIFICATIONS IN THE NEOPLASTIC AND NONNEOPLASTIC PROSTATE

Objective.-To determine the distribution and significance of microcalc ifications in histologic sections of the prostate. Design.-Retrospecti ve review of all histologic slides of completely embedded prostates fr om surgical specimens. Materials.-Randomly selected material included 266 radical prostatectomy and 10 cystoprostatectomy prostates without prostate cancer. Nonrandomly selected specimens included 26 radical pr ostatectomy specimens with a Gleason pattern 5 component, 24 cases wit h collagenous micronodules, and 8 cases previously noted to have micro calcifications within foci of prostate cancer. Results.-Four patterns of microcalcifications were noted in association with prostate cancer: (1) dystrophic calcification in the comedo-type necrosis of Gleason p attern 5, (2) intraluminal calcification in cribriform-type Gleason pa ttern 3 prostate cancer, (3) intraluminal calcification in small acina r adenocarcinoma, and (4) stromal calcification within collagenous mic ronodules associated with prostate cancer. Microcalcifications were no ted in 32% of prostates without cancer; 1.9% of randomly selected pros tates demonstrated microcalcifications associated with prostate career . Conclusions.-Microcalcifications are less common in association with prostate cancer than with benign prostatic ducts and acini. However, intraluminal microcalcifications associated with an atypical small gla ndular proliferation should not be taken as unequivocal evidence of a benign process.