Patient selection and study design
After local ethic committee approval (26379996/49), 259 patients from 3
different hospitals who were diagnosed with localized prostate cancer
and underwent radical prostatectomy were included in our study. Age,
preoperative total PSA values, clinical stages, total number of cores
taken in biopsy, number of positive cores, preoperative biopsy GS,
follow-up time and presence of BCR after RP were recorded. PCa diagnosis
was made by trans rectal-ultrasonography-guided prostate biopsy.
Patients with a total PSA value> 2.5 in two consecutive
measurements and / or with suspicious nodules on digital rectal
examination (DRE) had prostate biopsy. Pathology results were evaluated
by 3 different dedicated uropathologists. American Joint Committee on
Cancer Tumor (T) node (N) metastasis (M) classification was used for
assignment of clinical stage 9. Multiparametric MRI
(mpMRI) was not used in clinical staging. Post-operative nadir PSA was
evaluated in 4-6 week. Afterwards, the total PSA was evaluated every 3
months for the first two years and then every 6 months for up to 5
years. BCR was defined as a total PSA value > 0.2 ng / dl
twice consecutively after RP.