Presence of ganglia within the prostatic capsule: Ganglion involvement in prostatic cancer

BACKGROUND. The presence of ganglia within the prostatic capsule (capsular ganglia) is a poorly understood phenomenon. If cancer invasion into or arou nd ganglia is identified in a needle biopsy specimen, such a finding may be diagnosed as an extraprostatic extension. In this study, the presence of c apsular ganglia was clarified. Furthermore, we discuss the significance of these ganglia in prostatic cancer patients. METHODS. The study group comprised a total of 42 patients, who had all unde rgone a radical prostatectomy for prostate adenocarcinoma with a relatively small volume. After surgery, the step-sectioned radical prostatectomy spec imens were histologically evaluated. RESULTS. In 22 of 42 cases, capsular ganglia were recognized. With respect to the distribution of the capsular ganglia, the ganglia were most frequent ly observed at the posteriolateral aspect of the prostatic base. Morphologi cally there were no obvious differences between the capsular and periprosta tic ganglia. Moreover, in 3 of 5 cases with cancer involvement into the cap sular ganglia, such involvement was not predictive of extraprostatic extens ion. CONCLUSIONS. The presence of capsular ganglia needs to be clarified in pros tatic cancer patients. Our findings therefore suggest that cancer involveme nt either in or around the ganglia should not be immediately interpreted as indicating an extraprostatic extension, if such a finding is recognized in a needle biopsy specimen. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.