Gleason scale

The Gleason score provides an assessment of by how much from normal the cancer cells have changed. Usually, two figures are given and then added together to provide an overall Gleason score. The first individual number represents the largest number of most deviated cancer cells and the second, the next largest number. So, for example in a 3+4=7 Gleason there are fewer more mutilated cells than with a 4+3=7 where the greater number of cells are further changed from normal. The cells are graded from 1 to 5 with the higher number being the most changed from normal, (although 1 is not really used now as it's too close to normal). The highest assessment would therefore be 5+5=10. The assessment is based on cores that are taken at biopsy. Sometimes, the cores taken are not truly representative of what is actually in the prostate which can mean that grading is revised as found where the Prostate is sliced up in the lab following Prostatectomy.