Prognostic value of nuclear morphometry on needle biopsy from patients with prostate cancer: Is volume-weighted mean nuclear volume superior to othermorphometric parameters?

Objectives. To compare the prognostic value of stereologically estimated vo lume-weighted mean nuclear volume (MNV) with other nuclear morphometric par ameters using pretreatment needle-biopsy specimens of prostate cancer. Methods. The MNV, mean nuclear area, form factor, and coefficients of varia tion for nuclear area (VNA) and form factor were measured on pretreatment n eedle biopsy specimens from 66 patients with prostate cancer (clinical Stag e B, n = 9; Stage C, n = 14; and Stage D, n = 43), all of whom underwent an drogen deprivation therapy. The prognostic value of those morphometric para meters, as well as Gleason score and clinical stage, was examined in terms of cause-specific,patient survival using univariate and multivariate analys is (Cox proportional hazard model). Results. Univariate analysis of the nuclear morphometric parameters reveale d that MNV, mean nuclear area, VNA, coefficient of variation for form facto r, and clinical stage were significant prognostic factors for cause-specifi c patient survival. However, when the patients with Stage D disease were se lectively analyzed for survival, only the VNA was a significant prognostic parameter. Furthermore, the multivariate analysis, including the morphometr ic parameters, clinical stage, and Gleason score revealed that only VNA and clinical stage were independent variables. Conclusions. The present comparative study could not demonstrate any progno stic superiority of MNV over other nuclear morphometric parameters in patie nts with prostate cancer. (C) 2000, Elsevier Science Inc.