Prostate Cancer Tumor Grading

Prostate cancer involves abnormal cell growth in the prostate, which is the walnut-shaped gland in men that is responsible for producing seminal fluid. Prostate cancer is the most common kind of cancer in males, affecting approximately one in every six men in the U.S., according to the Mayo Clinic.

Gleason Score

• The prostate cancer tumor grading method most commonly used is the Gleason system, which is named after the pathologist who created it. Dr. Donald Gleason devised this staging system to evaluate the prognosis of males with prostate cancer.

Features

• The Gleason system grades prostate cancer cells on a scale from Grade 2 to Grade 10. The final grade is derived by assigning a grade to the two largest cancerous areas of the prostate tissue samples and adding the two grades.

Significance

• Higher Gleason scores mean the prostate cancer tumor is aggressive and poorly differentiated. Lower scores mean the prostate tumor is less aggressive and well-differentiated.

Diagnosis

• Prostate tissue is obtained through a biopsy of the prostate. Most males with prostate cancer have Grade 5 to Grade 7 tumors.

Considerations

• Prostate tumors rating Grade 2 to Grade 4 typically don't shorten a patient's lifespan. Tumors with grades of 5 to 7 can shorten a man's life by four or five years, while tumors Grade 8 to Grade 10 can take six to eight years off a patient's life.

Warnings

• Prostate cancer tumor grading isn't an exact science. Tumors might be missed in the prostate biopsy and doctors' grades can vary.