Exploring the association of WHO grade groups and perineural invasion in prostatic carcinoma-A study from Karachi Pakistan

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of perineural invasion with the WHO grade group in patients with prostatic carcinoma. Material and Methods: This Cross Sectional Study was conducted at Department of Histopathology, Liaquat National Hospital Karachi, Pakistan from 1s January 2019 to 31st December 2020, This study included 221 male patients diagnosed with prostate carcinoma. A specimen labeled as prostatic tissue was received, and after labeling and data entry, a gross examination of the tissue was done. Specimens diagnosed as prostatic carcinoma were assessed for grade groups. All data was systemically recorded in a pre-structured proforma. Results: 61 years was the average age of the patients. Perineural invasion among patients with prostatic carcinoma was observed in 36.65% (81/221). According to WHO grade group in patients with prostatic carcinoma, positive perineural invasion patients, there were 49.4% had grade group 1, 32.1% had grade group 2, 11.1% had grade group 3, 4.9% had grade group 4, 2.5% had grade group 5 while in negative perineural invasion patients, there were 35.7% had Grade group 1, 41.4% had grade group 2, 14.3% had Grade group 3, 5.7% had Grade group 4 and 2.9% had Grade group 5. A comparison of perineural invasion was not statistically significant for the WHO grade group in patients with prostatic carcinoma. Conclusion: The analysis demonstrated no substantial variations in PSA levels, clinical stage, Gleason scores, or under- and over-staging between the PNI-positive and PNI-negative groups. Keywords: Prostate cancer, Perineural invasion, Grade-groups