Pathologic assessment of the surgical specimen.

Despite the wealth of information obtained by conventional histology, long-term studies are needed to provide novel information on the correlation of pathologic findings with prognosis. Findings need to be correlated not only with PSA progression but with the more clinically important parameters of distant metastases and survival. Although conventional histology still will have a role in the evaluation of prostate cancer at radical prostatectomy and its correlation with outcome, it undoubtedly will be augmented by newer techniques. These developments must be approached critically and rationally to determine whether they provide additional prognostic information beyond that currently available using more conventional parameters.