Potentially clinically relevant prostate cancer is found more frequently after complete than after partial histopathological processing of radical cystoprostatectomy specimens.

Incidental prostate cancer is often found in cystoprostatectomy specimens. The presence of a clinically significant tumour has an impact on follow-up strategies. In prostatectomy specimen for prostate cancer, whole-mount sections improve diagnostic accuracy. The present study compares detection of incidental prostate cancer in complete to routine processing. We included 295 consecutive patients who underwent radical cystoprostatectomy. Between 01/1995 and 12/2003 (period I), specimens of 129 patients were partially processed, whereas between 01/2004 and 03/2009 (period II), specimens of 166 patients were completely processed. Incidental prostate cancer was detected overall in 91 (30.8 %) patients. Prostate cancer was detected in 24 (18.6 %) patients in period 1 and in 67 (40.4 %) patients in period 2 (p < 0.001). Potentially clinically significant prostate cancer was detected in 12 (9.2 %) and 29 (17.5 %) patients, respectively (p = 0.044). Complete embedding and processing of cystoprostatectomy specimen yield significantly more potentially clinically relevant prostate cancers. The present data suggest that notably in younger men the specimens should be completely processed.