Variants of Gleason Pattern 4 (part 3)

 

Poorly formed glands

Also known as incomplete or ill-defined glands. This was added to GP4 in the ISUP 2005 revision of the Gleason grading. This pattern includes open, disrupted glands and epithelial units with abortive lumina. Occasional strips of epithelium with polarized nuclei or three-dimensional rounded clusters of cells may be seen.

 

Poorly formed glands that are disrupted (red arrows). 

 

Poorly formed glands with abortive glandular lumina (red arrows).