Use of serial multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging in the management of patients with prostate cancer on active surveillance

Introduction: We evaluated the performance of multiparametric prostate magnetic resonance imaging (mp-MRI) and MRI/transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) fusion-guided biopsy (FB) for monitoring patients with prostate cancer on active surveillance (AS).

Materials and methods: Patients undergoing mp-MRI and FB of target lesions identified on mp-MRI between August 2007 and August 2014 were reviewed. Patients meeting AS criteria (Clinical stage T1c, Gleason grade ≤ 6, prostate-specific antigen density ≤ 0.15, tumor involving ≤ 2 cores, and ≤ 50% involvement of any single core) based on extended sextant 12-core TRUS biopsy (systematic biopsy [SB]) were included. They were followed with subsequent 12-core biopsy as well as mp-MRI and MRI/TRUS fusion biopsy at follow-up visits until Gleason score progression (Gleason ≥ 7 in either 12-core or MRI/TRUS fusion biopsy). We evaluated whether progression seen on mp-MRI (defined as an increase in suspicion level, largest lesion diameter, or number of lesions) was predictive of Gleason score progression.

Results: Of 152 patients meeting AS criteria on initial SB (mean age of 61.4 years and mean prostate-specific antigen level of 5.26 ng/ml), 34 (22.4%) had Gleason score ≥ 7 on confirmatory SB/FB. Of the 118 remaining patients, 58 chose AS and had at least 1 subsequent mp-MRI with SB/FB (median follow-up = 16.1 months). Gleason progression was subsequently documented in 17 (29%) of these men, in all cases to Gleason 3+4. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value of mp-MRI for Gleason progression was 53% (95% CI: 28%-77%) and 80% (95% CI: 65%-91%), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of mp-MRI for increase in Gleason were also 53% and 80%, respectively. The number needed to biopsy to detect 1 Gleason progression was 8.74 for SB vs. 2.9 for FB.

Conclusions: Stable findings on mp-MRI are associated with Gleason score stability. mp-MRI appears promising as a useful aid for reducing the number of biopsies in the management of patients on AS. A prospective evaluation of mp-MRI as a screen to reduce biopsies in the follow-up of men on AS appears warranted.