Purpose: The comparative effectiveness of transrectal and transperineal prostate biopsy in detecting clinically significant prostate cancer is not well understood. We conducted a randomized clinical trial to determine whether transperineal biopsy improves the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer.
Materials and methods: Of the 840 men randomized, 93% were White, 44% had a previous biopsy, with a median age of 66 years and median PSA density of 0.14. Of these, 384 underwent transrectal and 398 underwent transperineal prostate biopsy. Prebiopsy prostate MRI was performed in 96% of men. Grade Group ≥ 2 prostate cancer was classified as clinically significant. Odds ratios were calculated using logistic regression to evaluate the effect of biopsy procedures on cancer detection rates.
Results: The detection rates of clinically significant prostate cancer were 47.1% and 43.2% (odds ratio 1.17; 95% CI, 0.88-1.55) for transrectal and transperineal biopsy, respectively. Age, PSA density, clinical stage and Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System score were associated with the diagnosis of clinically significant cancer, whereas history of previous biopsy, anterior tumors, and biopsy procedure (transrectal or transperineal) were not. Clinically significant cancer detection rates in biopsy-naïve men undergoing MRI-targeted transrectal or transperineal biopsy were 59% and 62%, respectively. The overall cancer detection rates following transrectal and transperineal biopsy were 72.1% and 70.4%, respectively.
Conclusions: There was no significant difference noted in the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer following transrectal or transperineal prostate biopsy. Urologists may utilize either biopsy procedure that best suits their patients' needs and practice setting.
Keywords: biopsy; cancer; diagnosis; prostate.