The term "insignificant" prostate cancer is sometimes used by pathologists describing the results of a prostate biopsy to state that they believe that the disease is not virulent enough to threaten survival.

But Is this a status backed by research? Are patients diagnosed with "insignificant" prostate cancer being accurately diagnosed?

Researchers performing a literature review analysis of over 800 cases of "insignificant" biopsy findings attempted to answer these questions. What they found was that an "insignificant" biopsy finding on one biopsy does not reliably predict minimal disease in later biopsies. They found significant variance in the size and grade of the tumors, and extracapsular extension and positive margins-- indicating more aggressive disease in a significant portion of the cases.

The researchers recommend that an "insignificant" prostate cancer biopsy result should not be used solely to determine treatment options especially when considering radiation therapy alone. They recommend analyzing PSA trends and potential molecular markers.

_{Source: P. A. S. Johnstone, P. J. Rossi, A. B. Jani, & V. Master. (2007). 'Insignificant' prostate cancer on biopsy: Pathologic results from subsequent radical prostatectomy. Nature.com. (abstract).}