TABLE 1
FROM:
Gleason grading and prognostic factors in carcinoma of the prostate
Peter A Humphrey
BACK TO ARTICLETable 1. Gleason grading system for prostatic adenocarcinoma
| Pattern | Tumor shape and borders | stromal invasion | Tumor cell arrangements | Gland size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nodular, well-defined and smooth edges | Pushing | Single, round to oval, closely packed, but separate glands | Medium |
| 2 | Masses less well-defined and less well-circumscribed | Some gland separation at tumor edge | Single, separate, round to oval glands, with more variation in gland size and shape, and loosely packed with stromal separation (up to one gland diameter, on average) | Medium |
| 3A | Ill-defined infiltrating edges | Irregular extension | Single separate glands of variable shape and size, with elongated, angular and twisted forms, usually with wide stromal separation | Medium |
| 3B | Ill-defined infiltrating edges | Irregular extension | Same as 3A but glands are smaller | Small to very small |
| 3C | Masses and cylinders with smooth rounded edges | Expansile | Papillary and cribriform epithelium, without necrosis | Medium to large |
| 4A | Raggedly infiltrative | Diffusely permeative | Fused glands, creating masses, cords, or chains | Small, medium, or large |
| 4B | Raggedly infiltrative | Diffusely permeative | Similar to 4A, but cells have cleared cytoplasm=hypernephromatoid variant | Small, medium, or large |
| 5A | Smooth, rounded cylinders | Expansile | Papillary, cribriform or solid masses with central necrosis=comedocarcinoma | Variable |
| 5B | Raggedly infiltrative | Diffusely permeative | Masses and sheets of anaplastic carcinoma, with a few tiny glands or signet ring cells | Small |
