What is cancer? A focus on Grade Group 1 prostate cancer

BJU Int. 2024 Apr;133(4):360-364. doi: 10.1111/bju.16280. Epub 2024 Jan 16.

Abstract

Since the widespread adoption of prostate-specific antigen-based screening for prostate cancer, the prevalence of Grade Group 1 (GG1) prostate cancer has risen. Historically, these patients were subjected to overtreatment of this otherwise indolent disease process, leading to significant quality-of-life detriments. Active surveillance as a primary management strategy has allowed for a focus on early detection while minimising morbidity from unnecessary intervention. Here we provide a comprehensive overview of the characteristics of GG1 prostatic adenocarcinoma, including its histological features, genomic differentiators, clinical progression, and implications for treatment guidelines, all supporting the movement to reclassify GG1 disease as a non-cancerous entity.

Keywords: Gleason 6 prostate cancer; Grade Group 1 prostate cancer; active surveillance; epidemiology; low-grade disease; prostate cancer.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Grading
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen
  • Prostatic Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Prostatic Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Prostatic Neoplasms* / therapy

Substances

  • Prostate-Specific Antigen