ANKMJ
Ankyra Medical Journal

Ankyra Medical Journal (AnkMJ), formerly known as the Journal of Translational and Practical Medicine, regularly publishes international quality issues in the field of Medicine in the light of current information.

eISSN: 3023-655X
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Original Article
Comparative examination of patients with suspect and diagnosis of prostate cancer before and during the COVID-19 pandemic
Abstract
Aims: We aimed to determine the clinical stage (CS) alteration in recently diagnosed prostate cancer(PCa) patients with a delay in outpatient diagnostic evalutions and procedures due to COVID-19.
Methods: We reviewed patients underwent 12 quadrant biopsies in our clinic between January 2018 and April 2022 , 86 pre-pandemic (Group-1) and 86 pandemic. The results of patients with PCa, during pandemic (Group-2) were evaluated cross-sectionally. Serum PSA levels, prostate volume, biopsy parameters, gleason score and groups, CS, presence of high and low volume metastatic disease, clinical risk assessments were compared in both groups.
Results: In Group-1, 440 patients were included and PCa was reported in the pathology results of 86 patients (19.54% of biopsies performed). Group-2 encompassed 287 patients in which we identified 86 patients with PCa. We identified PCa in 29.96% of biopsies performed in the Group-2. Encountering a malignant prostate biopsy was found to be significantly higher in the Group-1(p=0.001). The average clinical stage was T2b in Group-1, and T2c in Group-2 which was found statistically significant (p=0.019). The number of cancer-positive cores was 4 in Group-1 and 5 in Group-2(p = 0.007). The average values ??of tumor percentages in cancerous cores were determined as 47% in Group-1 and 57% in Group-2(p = 0.024). The probability of a patient with a malignant biopsy being in the local stage is higher in Group-1(p = 0,043).
Conclusion: Serum PSA levels, CS, number of cancer-positive cores and average tumor percentages in cancerous cores during the pandemic are significantly higher compared to the Group-1. Postponing prostate biopsy in suspected PCa; may negatively affect disease-related survival or overall survival.

Keywords : COVID-19, pandemic, prostate cancer

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Article available in :
Volume 4, Issue 3, 2025
Page : 39-44
https://doi.org/10.51271/ANKMJ-0045
Article Information
Received : 28 Nis 2025
Accepted : 10 Tem 2025
Published : 29 Tem 2025
Corresponding Author :

Burak Yılmaz: Department of Urology, Osmaniye State Hospital, Osmaniye, Turkiye

[email protected]
Citation : Yılmaz B, Yuvanç E, Tuğlu D, Yılmaz E. Comparative examination of patients with suspect and diagnosis of prostate cancer before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ank Med J. 2025;4(3):39-44.

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