Time Trends in Histological Features of Latent Prostate Cancer in Japan

Incidence of prostate cancer (PCa) is reported to be increasing in Asia including Japan. Although this trend has been attributed partly to a more westernized diet, this assumption may involve variable confounders.

To have more insight, we examined histological features of contemporary versus historical latent PCa.

Prostatic specimens from a consecutive autopsy series (n=127, Present study, 2008 to 2013) were examined. Each prostatic gland was fixed and sliced in step-sections. The findings were compared to those from another autopsy series (n=501, Wada study, 1983 to 1987) at our institution.

The mean age of subjects in the Present study was 68. 9 years, while the mean age was not available from the original paper of Wada study. However, the mean age of the 566 entrants in the expanded database (1983-1989) was 63. 5 years (P=0. 0001). Prostatic weights were significantly higher in the Present study (P<0. 0001). Latent PCa was found more frequently in the Present study than Wada study (43. 3% and 20. 8%, respectively, P<0. 0001). No distinct difference was seen in the proportion of tumor grade between groups. Increasing trend of moderately to poorly-differentiated tumors with advancing age was more evident in the Present study. Index cancer volume was greater in the Present study; with 25. 5% measuring ≥500mm3, compared to only 9. 6% of cancers in Wada study (P=0. 008).

Chronological changes in histological characteristics of Japanese latent PCa were noted; it is more frequent and larger in the contemporary series. Our data may reflect a worldwide trend in the increasingly aging societies.

The Journal of urology. 2015 Dec 08 [Epub ahead of print]

Takahiro Kimura, Hiroyuki Takahashi, Mioko Okayasu, Masahito Kido, Hiroyuki Inaba, Hidetoshi Kuruma, Toshihiro Yamamoto, Bungo Furusato, Masakuni Furusato, Tetsuro Wada, Shin Egawa

Department of Urology, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan. Department of Pathology, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan. , Department of Pathology, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan. , Department of Urology, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan. , Department of Urology, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan. , Department of Urology, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan. , Department of Urology, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan. , Department of Pathology, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan. , Department of Pathology, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan. , Department of Urology, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan. , Department of Urology, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan.

PubMed