The benign killer: carcinoma of the prostate.

Radical prostatectomy has a significant role in the treatment of early stage carcinoma of the prostate, with a 6-fold difference in the radically and conservatively treated groups. Since 32 per cent of carcinomas will be missed even by experienced examiners on rectal examination, we believe that open perineal biopsy of the posterior lamella as described in 1968 would increase the yield of carcinoma and the subsequent cure by a radical operation. We have found that older patients do well with the perineal surgery--the extreme lithotomy position is no great problem and the postoperative course, without a painful abdominal wound, is less complicated.