Staging Pelvic Lymphadenectomy for Carcinoma of the Prostate: Risk Versus Benefit

Abstract

Patients (125) underwent limited staging lymphadenectomy for adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Of these, 19% with clinical stage B1 disease, 52% with clinical stage B2 disease and 59% with clinical stage C had positive nodes. There was 1 death secondary to myocardial infarction; postoperative complications occurred in 7.2% of the 125 patients. Limited staging pelvic node dissection provides information regarding nodal dissection similar to that identified after more extensive dissection; it can be accomplished with little morbidity.