Race is not an independent predictor of biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy in an equal access medical center

Objectives. To compare the racial differences in clinical and pathologic fe atures between black and white men who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) in an equal access health care center and to determine whether race is an independent predictor of biochemical recurrence. Methods. A retrospective survey of 273 patients (125 black, 148 white) who underwent RP at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center betwee n 1991 and 1999 was undertaken. Patients were analyzed for racial differenc es in age at diagnosis, clinical stage, preoperative serum prostate-specifi c antigen (PSA), and Gleason score of the prostate biopsy specimens. Surgic al specimens were studied to determine pathologic stage, Gleason score, inc idence of seminal vesicle invasion, positive surgical margins, capsular pen etration, and pelvic lymph node involvement. Patients were followed for PSA recurrence (greater than 0.2 ng/mL). Multivariate analysis was used to det ermine the clinical and pathologic variables that were significant in predi cting biochemical recurrence after RP and to determine whether race was an independent predictor of biochemical failure. Results. No significant differences were found between black and white men in the preoperative factors (clinical stage, age at diagnosis, biopsy Gleas on score, and serum PSA) or in the pathologic features of the RP specimens (Gleason score, pathologic stage, incidence of positive surgical margins, c apsular penetration, seminal vesicle invasion, or lymph node involvement). In addition, no differences were found between black and white men in the P SA recurrence rates after RP using Kaplan-Meier survival curves (P = 0.651) . Multivariate analysis revealed that serum PSA (P = 0.010), biopsy Gleason score (P = 0.003), younger age (P = 0.010), surgical Gleason score (P = 0. 005), and lymph node involvement (P = 0.022) were all independent predictor s of biochemical recurrence. Race was not a significant predictor of bioche mical failure in multivariate analysis (P = 0.199). Conclusions. In an equal access medical care facility, no differences were evident between black and white men in the preoperative clinical factors or the pathologic features of the RP specimens. In addition, no differences w ere observed in the PSA recurrence rates after RP. Serum PSA, biopsy Gleaso n score, younger age, surgical Gleason score, and lymph node involvement we re all independent predictors of biochemical recurrence. Race was not an in dependent predictor of biochemical recurrence. UROLOGY 56: 87-91, 2000. (C) 2000, Elsevier Science Inc.