Correlation of Periacinar Retraction Clefting in Needle Core Biopsies and Corresponding Prostatectomy Specimens of Patients with Prostatic Adenocarcinoma

ABSTRACT One of the underemphasized supportive criteria for the diagnosis of prostatic cancer is the presence of retraction clefting around neoplastic glands. We analyzed a series of 152 prostatic cancer cases to determine the frequency, extent and correlation of periacinar retraction clefting between needle core biopsies (NCB) and corresponding matched radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens. Clefting was more significantly frequent in neoplastic compared to nonneoplastic acini in NBC and RP (p 0.05). We have also found a concordance in matched RP and NCB (Kappa=0.582). We conclude that periacinar retraction clefting appear more frequently in neoplastic acini and could serve as reliable criterion in the diagnosis of prostatic adenocarcinoma.