Pathological interpretation of radical prostatectomy

The examination by the pathologist of the whole prostate gland after radical prostatectomy allows close inspection of the tissue in order to determine the presence or absence of important prognostic pathological parameters, such as the histological grade, extracapsular extension, seminal vesicle invasion, positive surgical margins. Only complete embedding and multiple close steps sectioning of the whole prostate gland allows the more accurate assessment of the margin status. Specimens not sectioned from the whole organ carry the likelihood of missing important adverse pathologic features. The vast majority of departments of pathology in French institutions are used to study radical prostatectomy specimens obtained from the entire prostate gland.