Inflammation and focal atrophy in prostate needle biopsy cores and association to prostatic adenocarcinoma

The possible origin of proliferative inflammatory atrophy in the regenerative proliferation of prostate epithelial cells in response to injury caused by inflammation, and their relation to prostate adenocarcinoma have not been defined. Inflammation and focal atrophy are common pathological findings in prostate biopsies, currently not routinely included in surgical pathology reports. The objective of the study was to determine the correlation between inflammation and focal atrophy with prostate adenocarcinoma. Prostate needle biopsies from 203 patients with clinical parameters suspicious for malignancy were evaluated for the presence and extent of chronic inflammation, type and grade of focal atrophy, high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia, and adenocarcinoma. Relations among them and with age were also analyzed. χ2 tests and binary logistic regression were used to estimate associations. Chronic inflammation was observed in 77.3% of the biopsies, significantly associated to adenocarcinoma (P = .031). Moderate/severe inflammation in at least 1 biopsy core increased the risk of prostate adenocarcinoma (odds ratio, 2.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.27-6.8), whereas glandular localization of inflammation decreased the risk. Focal atrophy was present in 72.9% of the biopsies, proliferative inflammatory atrophy was the most common type, and its grade was significantly associated to inflammation (P < .0001) and inflammation intensity (P = .003). An association between prostate adenocarcinoma and inflammation was found, with higher odds in presence of moderate/severe inflammation in at least 1 biopsy core. Increasing grades of proliferative inflammatory atrophy were associated to high levels of inflammation, supporting its previously proposed inflammatory nature.