Histopathological Evaluation of Benign Prostate Lesions - Utility or Futility? A Retrospective Study in a Limited Resource Setting

Objective: To identify the characteristic morphological features of benign prostate lesions, chiefly the mimickers of carcinoma, and to distinguish them from malignancy. Materials and Methods: All prostate specimens diagnosed as benign lesions during the two-year period from January 2022 to December 2023 were included. Malignant prostate lesions and autolyzed specimens were excluded. Haematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue sections were examined, and their medical records were reviewed. Results: A total of 173 prostate specimens were studied. The most common alteration was Basal cell hyperplasia, and the least common was Nephrogenic metaplasia. For comparison, the lesions were broadly classified into five categories: hyperplasia, atrophy, metaplasia, inflammation, and premalignant lesions. Conclusion: Various prostatic atrophy patterns, metaplasias, and hyperplasias mimic prostatic adenocarcinoma. Transitional cell metaplasia and basal cell hyperplasia mimic HGPIN. HGPIN mimics and leads to carcinoma. Hence, it is important to identify them correctly and prevent any false positive interpretation.