Are targeted prostate biopsies ready to replace systematic prostate biopsies?

To evaluate the efficacy and efficiency of systematic prostatic biopsy (SPB) and cognitive fusion PB (CFPB) to diagnose prostate cancer (PCa) and significant PCa (SPCa), and to analyse if CFPB could safely replace SPB.

A cohort of 314 consecutive men having PI-RADS ≥2 in a pre-biopsy 3T mp-MRI were prospectively subjected to trans-rectal ultrasound CFPB (two cores per suspicious area until a maximum of three areas) and a 12 peripheral core SPB. SPCa was considered when the WHO grade was higher than 2 (Gleason 4+3 or higher).

PCa was diagnosed in 133 patients (42.4%), being 83 (62.4%) SPCa. SPB detected PCa in 114 men (85.7%) while CFPB in 103 (77.4%), P<.001. SPB detected SPCa in 64 men (77.1%) while CFPB in 71 (85.5%), P<.001. In 52 of the 81 men (64.2%) SPCa was detected in SPB and CFPB. In 19 men SPCa was only detected in CFPB (23.5%) while in 10, it was only detected in SPB (12.3%). 33.1 cores were needed to diagnose one PCa in SPB while 8.5 in CFPB, P<.001. 58.9 cores were needed to diagnose one SPCa in SPB, while 12.4 in CFPB, P<.001.

CFPB are more effective and also more efficient than SPBs in detecting SPCa. However, CFPBs still can't safely replace SPBs because they are not able to detect up to 15% of SPCa.

Actas urologicas espanolas. 2019 Oct 31 [Epub ahead of print]

A Celma, R López, S Roche, J Planas, L Regis, J Placer, A Borque, L M Esteban, I de Torres, J Morote

Departamento de Urología, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, España. Electronic address: ., Departamento de Urología, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, España., Departamento de Urología, Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, España., EP de La Almunia, Universidad de Zaragoza, La Almunia de Doña Godina, Zaragoza, España., Departamento de Patología, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, España.