Can histopathology predict treatment outcome following high-energy transurethral microwave thermotherapy of the prostate? Results of a biopsy study

Treatment Characteristics and Inherent Prostatic Features Do Not Predict Patient Outcome after High-Energy Transurethral Thermotherapy: A Prospective Study of ProstaLund Feedback Treatment™

“…In a study by d'Ancona and associates, 19 poor responders to TUMT appeared to have a somewhat higher vessel density, which supports theories of heat sink secondary to greater vascularity and a trend toward a lower epithelial-stromal ratio. However, these histopathologic parameters were not independently predictive of clinical outcome.…”

“…However, these histopathologic parameters were not independently predictive of clinical outcome. 19 Roehrborn and coworkers 20 observed the importance of intraprostatic blood flow for dissipation of heat during microwave heating of the prostate. Increases in blood flow could well be acting as a heat sink and therefore account for the refractoriness of the prostate gland in some patients.…”

Transurethral microwave thermotherapy of the prostate – Evaluation with MRI and analysis of parameters relevant to outcome

“…Although many authors [17,18] attempted to introduce non-invasive methods, biopsy of the prostate still remains a most reliable tool for assessing the histological type of BPH. In a study by d'Ancona et al [19], histopathological parameters of the prostate tended to be only moderately predictive for the clinical outcome of TUMT. Recently, specialized MRI techniques, which enable a detailed assessment of tissue microstructure, have been introduced.…”

Transurethral microwave thermotherapy for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia

“…Prostate histopathology has been suggested as the intrinsic factor responsible for differences in clinical response. In particular, the distribution of histological components (epithelial: stromal ratio and blood vessel density) have been proposed as determinators of the reaction of the prostate to the application of heat [54]. No statistically significant difference could be detected for either the epithelial:stromal ratio or vessel density between good and poor responders.…”