Genitourinary Pathology Educational Resources

Prostate cancer is the second leading killer of U.S. men with cancer. About one is every six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. About one in every 36 will die.

The Gleason grading system is the most widely used grading system to characterize cancerous prostate cells according to two current grading protocols:

The 2019 International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) Consensus Conference on Grading of Prostatic Carcinoma
The 2019 Genitourinary Pathology Society (GUPS) White Paper on Contemporary Grading of Prostate Cancer

While it has important clinical implications and guides treatment decisions, Gleason grading is prone to subjectivity that leads to inter-observer variability. Incorrect grading may lead to inaccurate treatment and potential liability. More accurate Gleason grading, combined with standardized prostate pathology reporting, will lead to accurate diagnosis and will positively impact patient outcomes. The CAP offers three genitourinary pathology courses to help academic and community pathologists focusing on prostate disease screening, diagnosing, monitoring, and reporting. Whether these are current responsibilities now or in the future, these courses will keep you abreast of current scientific knowledge and best practices. The CAP offers three courses to help pathologists focusing on prostate disease screening, diagnosing, monitoring, and reporting. Whether these are current responsibilities now or in the future, these courses will keep you abreast of current scientific knowledge and best practices.

Assigning a Gleason Score

This course explains how to assign a Gleason score to challenging tumors such as small foci, multifocal tumors, and multiple adenocarcinoma variants and other carcinomas. This activity will focus on how to grade and report these tumors effectively in the context of needle biopsy and radical prostatectomies, while avoiding undergrading that can lead to incorrect treatment.

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The Effects of Prostate Cancer Treatment

Different treatments can have profound effects on benign tissue and cancer morphology. This course focuses on the effects that radiation, androgen ablation, and other therapies have on prostate specimens. It also explains how the effects of treatments impact Gleason score assignments.

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The Building Blocks of Gleason Scoring

Proper Gleason scoring considers the salient differences between classical and ISUP-modified Gleason scoring. This course covers the clinical significance of the Gleason score including its use in nomograms to determine subsequent management.

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