Potential predictive factors of positive prostate biopsy in the Japanese population

Introduction There are numerous arguments for the predictive factors of positive prostate biopsies, differing according to race and region. This study aimed to determine predictive factors for a positive prostate biopsy in East Asian, especially Japanese men, using clinical, laboratory, and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) findings. Methods Data were collected from 466 men who underwent a prostate biopsy for suspected prostate cancer. Variables analyzed including age, digital rectal examination (DRE) findings, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, PSA density, prostate volume, and TRUS findings. Logistic regression analysis and the Mann–Whitney U test were used for this study. Results Logistic regression analysis showed that significant predictors for a positive prostate biopsy for all patients were positive DRE results, prostate volume, and hypoechoic lesions on TRUS. Especially in the patients with PSA levels <10 ng/ml, the significant predictor for positive biopsy was prostate volume. The Mann–Whitney U test showed that significant predictors for a positive prostate biopsy in all patients were PSA density >0.15, positive DRE results, and prostate volume <25 cm³. Especially in patients with PSA levels <10 ng/ml, significant predictors for a positive prostate biopsy were prostate volume <25 cm³ and PSA density >0.15. Additionally, even if the data were confined to those patients with seven or more core biopsies, all the predictive factors shown in all patients were significant predictors in this category. Conclusion This study investigated potential predictors for positive prostate biopsy and demonstrated that prostate volume was an independent predictive factor for positive prostate biopsy in patients with PSA levels <10 ng/ml. In the future, we may be able to use our findings to create a nomogram for predicting positive prostate biopsy in Japanese men.     

Utility of Volume Adjusted Prostate Specific Antigen Density in the Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer in Arab Men

Background: This study was undertaken to assess the utility of prostate specific antigen (PSA) and PSA density (PSAD) in discriminating between benign and malignant prostate disease in the Kuwaiti Arab population.Methods: A total of 100 consecutive patients suspected of having prostate cancer because of serum PSA > 4 ng/ml, or detection of a prostatic nodule on rectal examination were further investigated by determination of PSAD, TRUS of prostate, sexant prostatic biopsy and histological analysis to establish the correct diagnosis. Other diagnostic measures included the determination of the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, sensitivity and specificity. Results: Of the 100 prostate biopsies that were performed, 33 cases were confirmed to be prostate cancer and 67 were described as benign lesions comprising benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with or without prostatitis. The age range for patients with prostate cancer was 42–90 years, and 52–90 years for those without prostate cancer. The mean prostate volume was 58.82 cc (range 9–177 cc) and 62.60 cc (range 15–140 cc), the mean PSA value was 36.65 ng/ml (range 5.8–200 ng/ml) and 16.49 ng/ml (range 1.4–46.0 ng/ml), while the mean PSAD was 0.92 (range 0.046–5.714) and 0.452 (range 0.034–2.294) for patients with prostate cancer and patients without prostate cancer respectively. Patients with PSA less than 4 ng/ml (3 cases) all had benign prostate lesions, and 7 cases with PSA more than 50 ng/ml all had prostate cancer and were excluded because values above 50 ng/ml have close to 100% specificity for prostate cancer. Further analysis was done on the remaining 90 cases which were patients with a PSA between 4 and 50 ng/ml. The discriminating power of serum PSA for detecting prostate cancer as estimated by the area under ROC was 0.686 while that for PSAD was 0.732. The maximum likelihood for a positive PSA was at a PSAD cut-off point of 0.32. For the PSA cut-off point of l0 ng/ml, the sensitivity was 80%, and specificity was 42.2%. For the PSAD cut-off point of 0.32, the sensitivity was 58% and the specificity 76.6%. Conclusions: Determination of PSAD is not a useful adjunct to serum PSA values in the range of 10–50 ng/ ml in our population. PSAD value less than 0.32 with PSA less than l0 ng/ml strongly suggests benign disease.     

Follow-up of men obtaining a six-core versus a ten-core benign prostate biopsy 7 years previously

The aim of this study is to evaluate the proportion of repeat biopsies after 7 years in men with an initial benign six- or ten-core biopsy as well as the incidence of prostate cancer (PC) in the repeat biopsies. In this retrospective longitudinal study, 116 men with an elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and/or a suspicious digital rectal examination (DRE) who have had a benign prostate biopsy between January 1997 and September 1997 were included. Fifty-eight men had an initial benign six-core biopsy (median PSA 7.5 ng/ml, range 0.3–67) (group A), and 58 men had an initial benign ten-core biopsy (median PSA 7.5 ng/ml, range 0.8–91.4) (group B). We analysed men with a pathological PSA velocity, a persistently elevated PSA, an abnormal DRE, a high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia or atypical adenomatous hyperplasia, or atypical small acinar proliferation as indication for rebiopsy. Furthermore, we analysed a subgroup with exclusively an increased PSA velocity (>0.75 ng/ml per year) as indication for rebiopsy. In group A, 14 men had a follow-up biopsy. In this group, follow-up biopsies yielded PC in eight men (13.8%), six (10.3%) had a negative follow-up biopsy. In contrast, in group B only four men (3.4%) had a follow-up biopsy (P=0.005). Two of them (3.4%) had PC (P=0.02), two cases (3.4%) showed a benign histology (P=0.06). The use of an extended biopsy protocol at the initial evaluation reduces the number of repeat biopsies required and decreases the number of PC detection in the follow-up biopsy cohort.     

Effect of dimensions and volume of the prostate on cancer detection rate of 12 core prostate biopsy

Purpose To evaluate if volume or any of the three dimensions of prostate influences cancer detection rate by 12-core transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided prostate biopsy. Materials and methods We have searched our database for patients who underwent 12 core TRUS guided prostate biopsy with PSA values between 4.0 and 9.9 ng/ml, benign digital exam and no suspicious lesions at TRUS. The measurements of three dimensions and volume of the prostate of 99 patients were correlated with cancer detection rates of biopsy. Results There were no statistically significant differences between patients with prostate cancer or with benign histopathologic result for mean age, PSA and % PSA. Patients without cancer had a significantly higher mean prostate volume (58.88 cc) than patients with cancer (48.85 cc) (P = 0.038). A volume of 48.5 cc was determined as a cut-off value above which cancer detection rate decreases. Of the three dimensions, only the difference for the craniocaudal dimension between benign and malignant groups was marginally significant (P = 0.052). Conclusions With 12 core biopsy, cancer detection rate is lower in patients with prostates larger than 48.5 cc. Further studies comparing biopsy results with prostatectomy specimens can clarify whether these results necessitates higher number of cores for such patients.     

Early detection of prostate cancer in Germany: a study using digital rectal examination and 4.0 ng/ml prostate-specific antigen as cutoff

OBJECTIVE: While international screening studies for prostate cancer are by now almost reaching the estimated number of recruitments mandatory for the necessary power to investigate an effect on mortality of prostate cancer, no statistical figures on the detection of prostate cancer in Germany - apart from historical data before the use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) are available. In order to generate a database and to investigate the diagnostic efficacy of the primarily practice-based urological care system, a case finding study designed as a nationwide longitudinal early detection trial was initiated. METHODS: In one week in November 1997, 963 urologists prospectively examined 11,644 men between 45 and 75 years of age by digital rectal examination (DRE) and PSA with 4.0 ng/ml as cutoff. Data of family history and physical examination were collected by questionnaire. At this time participants were not aware of their PSA value. PSA was determined in the study center. Indication for sextant biopsy was a PSA value above 4.0 ng/ml or a suspicious lesion on DRE. Any indicated biopsy not performed had to be clarified. In a second questionnaire results of prostate biopsy, treatment and tumor status were documented. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 62 years (median 62). The PSA median was 1.4 ng/ml with 82.8% presenting with < 4.0 ng/ml, 12.8% with 4-10 ng/ml and 4.4% with >10 ng/ml. From 1,115 men (47.7%) biopsied, 262 cancers were detected resulting in a detection rate of 23.5%. While 399 men refused biopsy, further investigation was not recommended in 387 men by their urologist, because prostatitis or benign hyperplasia was thought to be the cause for elevated PSA. From the 143 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy, 93 (65%) cancers were organ confined. T(1c) cancers with elevated PSA > 10 ng/ml could be treated with curative intent in 44% only. The positive predictive value (PPV) was estimated to be 16% for DRE alone (14/90), 17% for PSA alone (143/819) and 51% for the combination of both (105/206). In that cohort, use of age-adjusted PSA values and PSA density increased the PPV of PSA testing nonsignificantly. CONCLUSIONS: Significant higher PPV indicated that utilizing a combination of both DRE and PSA is most effective in the early detection of prostate cancer. Unnecessary biopsies can be avoided using either age-adjusted PSA value or PSA density, but the PPV is not significantly changed and potentially curable cancer is missed in up to 25%. Given the substantial variability of the diagnostic approach despite the study design, uniform guidelines are necessary to ensure countrywide sufficient screening.     

Serendipity in detecting disease in low prostate-specific antigen ranges

OBJECTIVE: To assess the magnitude of prostate cancer detection by serendipity (the coincidental detection of prostate cancer during the evaluation of an abnormal screening test result) when a digital rectal examination (DRE) and transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) are used as initial screening tests for prostate cancer in men with low levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA; 0.0-3.9 ng/mL). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In all, 117 participants of a population-based screening study were diagnosed with prostate cancer after a standard evaluation of an abnormal screening test result; 49 underwent radical prostatectomy. Serendipity was defined as either: (i) the presence of prostate cancer opposite to the side that raised suspicion for cancer on DRE and/or TRUS; (ii) a negative lesion-directed biopsy while cancer was present in one or more of the cores of the sextant biopsy; (iii) a tumour volume of < 0.5 mL on radical prostatectomy. RESULTS: Depending on the definition, 27-63% of prostate cancers detected at low PSA values were detected coincidentally and not as a result of a true-positive test result. The proportion of cancers detected by serendipity was inversely correlated with serum PSA level. CONCLUSION: A relatively high proportion of prostate cancers diagnosed in men with low PSA levels, and in which a biopsy was prompted by a suspicious DRE and/or TRUS, are considered to be detected by chance only. As these cancers are mostly small (< 0.5 mL), with potentially low biological aggressiveness, relying on serendipity seems disadvantageous in prostate-cancer screening. The level of serendipity in prostate cancer detection, the poor performance of the screening test, and high inter-observer variability, casts further doubt on the utility of DRE (and TRUS) as initial screening tests for prostate cancer in population-based screening.     

Early detection of prostate cancer in the ESRD population

BACKGROUND: There are currently no prostate cancer screening guidelines specific to the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) population. With this in mind, we evaluated the clinical usefulness of digital rectal examination (DRE), serum total prostate-specific antigen (PSA), prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD) and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) in predicting prostate cancer in men with ESRD. METHODS: Fifty male ESRD patients age 40 years and older with no prior history of prostate cancer were enrolled in the study. All patients underwent PSA measurement and a DRE followed by a TRUS. PSAD was calculated as the total PSA divided by the prostate volume. Ultrasound-guided prostate biopsies were performed on any patient with 1 or more of the following abnormal findings: a nodule detected on DRE; an abnormal TRUS; PSA > 4.0 ng/ml, or a PSAD > 0.15 ng/ml/cm3. RESULTS: Abnormal findings were detected in 19 patients. Two (4%) had an abnormal DRE, 3 (6%) had PSA > 4.0 ng/ml, 3 (6%) had PSAD > 0.15 ng/ml/cm3 and 16 (32%) had abnormal findings on TRUS. Three patients had 2 abnormal findings and 1 had 3. Of the 15 prostate biopsies performed, 4 (27%) revealed prostate cancer and 3 (20%) high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasm (HGPIN) comprising 8% and 6%, respectively, of the studied population. Of the 4 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer, none had abnormal DRE, 2 (50%) had PSA > 4.0 ng/ml (sensitivity = 66.7% and PPV = 50% (p = 0.236)), 3 (75%) had PSAD > 0.15 ng/ml/cm3 (sensitivity = 100% and PPV = 75% (p < 0.018)), and 3 (75%) had abnormal findings on TRUS (sensitivity = 30% and PPV = 75% (p = 1.000)). CONCLUSION: Routine screening with PSA and DRE does not seem sensitive enough to predict the presence of the disease. Although TRUS detected abnormalities in 16 patients (32%), sensitivity was very low (30%). In our patients, PSAD increased the sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) of detecting prostate cancers compared to PSA alone.     

Prostate cancer screening: Role of digital rectal examination and prostate-specific antigen

Background: This study was designed to determine the efficacy of digital rectal examination (DRE) and serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) for early detection of prostate cancer in men ≥50 years of age. Methods: A prospective single-center clinical trial was conducted to screen 644 asymptomatic men, who were elicited by newspaper and radio advertisements, with DRE and PSA. Quadrant biopsy examinations of the prostate were performed if PSA >4 ng/ml or if DRE was suspicious. Results: Thirty-seven percent of the men (n=241) had an abnormality of DRE or elevated PSA. Of the 163 patients who underwent transrectal ultrasound and quadrant biopsies of the prostate, 77% had normal biopsies, 14 (8%) had prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, and 24 (15%) had carcinoma of the prostate. PSAs ranged from 0.3 to 65.5 ng/ml, with a mean of 2.35 and a median of 1.6. Ninety-five patients had a PSA >4 ng/ml, of whom 17 had a PSA >10 ng/ml. Sensitivity of PSA was 75% and specificity 87%; for DRE the sensitivity was 75% and the specificity 69%. Clinical stage of patients who underwent radical prostatectomy was B1 in 15 and B2 in five. Fifteen of 20 patients (75%) had organ-confined disease; the other five had specimen-confined disease. No patient was found to have nodal involvement. Conclusion: The combination of PSA and DRE seems to improve the stage of diagnosis of patients with prostate cancer. Larger, randomized studies will be necessary to evaluate the effect of screening on overall survival. The results of this study were presented at the 46th annual cancer symposium of the Society of Surgical Oncology, Los Angeles, California, March 18–20, 1993.     

Predictors of subsequent prostate cancer in men with a prostate specific antigen of 2.6 to 4.0 ng/ml and an initially negative biopsy

PURPOSE: Almost 75% of men with a prostate specific antigen (PSA) of 2.6 to 4.0 ng/ml have no evidence of prostate cancer on biopsy. Deciding whether and when to repeat the biopsy is challenging. We determined if patient specific variables might identify men at increased risk for the subsequent detection of prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the records of 24,893 men from a community based prostate cancer screening study. Our study group consisted of 1,202 men with PSA 2.6 to 4.0 ng/ml and a previously negative prostate biopsy. Patient specific variables were analyzed for their value in predicting a future diagnosis of prostate cancer. RESULTS: Of 1,011 men with adequate followup 136 (13.5%) were subsequently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Mean followup +/- SD in men without prostate cancer was 72 +/- 36 months. Prostate cancer was subsequently diagnosed in 35% of men with high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) on initial biopsy (p <0.0001), in 18% with abnormal or suspicious digital rectal examination (DRE) (p = 0.02) and 16% with an annual PSA velocity of 0 ng/ml (p = 0.002). Multivariate analysis identified HGPIN, initial PSA 3.6 to 4.0 ng/ml, abnormal DRE, family history of prostate cancer and annual PSA velocity 0 ng/ml as predictors of prostate cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Men with a PSA of 2.6 to 4.0 ng/ml and negative biopsy should be advised to undergo repeat biopsy if they have HGPIN, initial PSA 3.6 to 4.0 ng/ml, abnormal DRE, a family history of prostate cancer or a PSA velocity of 0 ng/ml or greater.     

The role of the digital rectal examination in subsequent screening visits in the European randomized study of screening for prostate cancer (ERSPC), Rotterdam

BACKGROUND: The value of digital rectal examination (DRE) as a screening test for prostate cancer (PC) is controversial in the current prostate-specific antigen (PSA) era. OBJECTIVES: To determine (1) the additional value of a suspicious DRE for the detection of PC in men with an elevated PSA level in subsequent screenings and (2) the tumour characteristics of PCs detected in men with a suspicious DRE. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: Within the screening study, from 1997-2006 men aged 55-75 years were invited for an every 4-yr PSA determination. A PSA level >/=3.0ng/ml prompted a DRE and a transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided, lateralized sextant biopsy. Throughout the three screenings of the ERSPC, Rotterdam, 5040 biopsy sessions were evaluated. MEASUREMENTS: We determined the positive predictive values (PPVs) of a suspicious DRE and normal DRE, which entailed, respectively, the proportion of PCs detected in men with a suspicious DRE or normal DRE divided by, respectively, all biopsied men with a suspicious DRE or normal DRE. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: At initial screening, the PPV of a suspicious DRE, in conjunction with an elevated PSA level, to detect PC was 48.6% compared to 22.4% for men with a normal DRE. Both PPVs decreased in consecutive screens: respectively, 29.9% versus 17.1% (screen 2) and 21.2% versus 18.2% (screen 3). Respectively, 71.0% (p<0.001), 68.8% (p<0.001), and 85.7% (p=0.002) of all PCs with a Gleason score >7 were detected in men with a suspicious DRE at screens 1, 2, and 3. A limitation is that only biopsied men were evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: At initial and subsequent screenings, the chance of having cancer at biopsy was higher in men with a suspicious DRE compared to men with a normal DRE (to a lesser extent in subsequent screenings), and the combination of a PSA level >/=3.0ng/ml with a suspicious DRE resulted in detecting significantly more PCs with Gleason score >7. DRE may be useful in more selective screening procedures to decrease unnecessary biopsies and overdiagnosis.     

Contemporary prostate cancer prevalence among T1c biopsy-referred men with a prostate-specific antigen level < or = 4.0 ng per milliliter

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prostate cancer (PCa) prevalence and risk factors of men with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level< or =4.0 ng/ml and an unsuspicious digital rectal examination (DRE) in a large biopsy referral cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1997 and 2005, 855 men underwent initial transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsy at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf. Patients with any previous surgical or medical treatment were excluded from analyses. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine risk factors of PCa at biopsy and high-grade PCa defined as biopsy Gleason sum> or =7. RESULTS: Overall PCa detection rate was 23.1%. The majority had a biopsy Gleason sum of 6 (79.5%) and 20.5% had a biopsy Gleason sum> or =7. Total PSA (tPSA) and percentage of free PSA (%fPSA) were statistically significantly different in men with and without PCa (all p<0.001). In tPSA strata < or = 0.5, 0.6-1.0, 1.1-2.0, 2.1-3.0, and 3.1-4.0 ng/ml, PCa prevalence was 4.0%, 10.6%, 14.8%, 24.5%, and 32.1%, respectively. In logistic regression analyses addressing PCa and Gleason sum > or = 7 at biopsy, %fPSA and prostate volume represented independent and most informative risk factors. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate that a substantial percentage (23.1%) of men with a PSA< or =4.0 ng/ml and an unsuspicious DRE in a biopsy referral population harbor PCa, with 20.5% being high grade. Low %fPSA and low prostate volume represent important parameters in PCa and in high grade disease detection at biopsy, respectively.     

Elevated serum prostate specific antigen levels in conjunction with an initial prostatic biopsy negative for carcinoma: who should undergo a repeat biopsy?

OBJECTIVE: To determine the outcome of repeated prostatic biopsies in men attending with suspected prostate cancer but an initial negative biopsy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients who had undergone two or more transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsies were identified from the Hospital Information Support System database. Indications for TRUS were a raised prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level (>4.0 ng/mL), with or without an abnormal digital rectal examination (DRE). Sextant prostate biopsies plus biopsies of any suspicious hypoechoic area or area of DRE abnormality were obtained for histology. Forty-eight patients underwent repeat TRUS-guided prostatic biopsies (mean age 67.5, sd 7. 25, range 53-82 years). RESULTS: The mean (sd, median, range) PSA level was 16.9 (13.5, 11.6, 5.2-61.8) ng/mL. Fifteen patients (31%) had carcinoma on repeat biopsy, 11 after the second and four after a third biopsy. The positive repeat biopsy rate was 24% where the PSA level was 4.0-9.9 ng/mL, 33% if the level was 10.0-19.9 ng/mL and 39% if it was >/=20.0 ng/mL. There was no significant difference in age or initial PSA concentration between those men with positive and those with negative repeat biopsies. However, patients with cancer had significantly higher PSA levels before repeat biopsy than at first biopsy (P=0.0043) and had greater PSA velocities than had patients with no diagnosis of cancer (P=0.0067). CONCLUSION: Where sufficient clinical suspicion exists, despite an initial negative biopsy, repeat TRUS-guided prostate biopsies should be carried out to exclude carcinoma of the prostate.     

Transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy for detecting prostate cancer: can random biopsies be reduced using the 4-dimensional technique?

We present our experience with a new technique of real time 3-dimensional sonography—“4-dimensional Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)” guided prostate biopsy. A total of 64 patients suspected of having prostate cancer based on an elevated prostate-specific antigen (greater than 4 ng/ml) formed the study group. A voluson (General Electric Vivid 3) ultrasound machine equipped with a transrectal 5–8 MHz curvilinear transducer was used. Sonography-guided prostate biopsy was performed following prostate imaging and volume calculation using 3D and 4D imaging. Biopsies of tumor suspicious areas, if present, as well as random biopsies were done. Histopathology showed prostate cancer in 15 (23.4%) and benign prostatic conditions in 49 (76.6%). TRUS examination in the 15 detected prostatic cancers showed that 6(40%) were hypoechoic, 4 (26.7%) were of mixed hypo and hyper echogenicity, 1 (6.7%) was hyperechoic, and 4 (26.7%) were isoechoic. TRUS finding of a hypoechoic lesion was significantly associated with malignancy. Other TRUS findings such as texture, calcification, and cysts did not show any association with malignancy. Mortality was zero after ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy. TRUS is the diagnostic test of choice in detection of prostate cancer. With advances in the technique of TRUS, effort is being made to identify more subtle lesions in order to reduce random biopsies. 4-Dimensional TRUS does improve the diagnostic accuracy but there is still a group of patients with “invisible” cancers. Therefore, the policy of random biopsies has to be continued till this incidence can be eliminated.     

Hypoechoic versus hypervascular lesion in the diagnosis of prostatic carcinoma

Objective

The goal of this study was to get a better understanding the role of Power Doppler (PDUS) and conventional Gray Scale transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) in targeting prostatic biopsy in men with high prostate-specific antigen (PSA).

Use of 2.6 ng/ml prostate specific antigen prompt for biopsy in men older than 60 years

PURPOSE: Since the United States Food and Drug Administration approved the prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test as an aid to early prostate cancer detection, using a cutoff of 4.0 ng/ml in 1994, this cutoff has been widely adopted to recommend prostate biopsy. There has been recent investigation into lowering the PSA prompt for biopsy, especially in men younger than 60 years. We determined how a lower cutoff would perform in men older than 60 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From a prostate cancer screening study we studied 782 consecutive men who underwent prostate biopsy for PSA greater than 2.5 ng/ml or suspicious digital rectal examination. Biopsy results were evaluated as a function of patient age. RESULTS: Clinical and pathological characteristics of cancers detected in the PSA range 2.6 to 4.0 ng/ml were similar regardless of patient age. Overall PSA between 2.6 and 4.0 ng/ml was associated with a cancer detection rate of 16.2% using a sextant biopsy technique. PSA velocity was similar in men with prostate cancer in all age groups. CONCLUSIONS: More than 15% of men with PSA 2.6 to 4.0 ng/ml who are 40 years or older have prostate cancer detected with sextant needle biopsies. PSA velocity, tumor stage, Gleason grade and tumor volume were similar in all age groups.     

MRI-guided biopsy of the prostate increases diagnostic performance in men with elevated or increasing PSA levels after previous negative TRUS biopsies

OBJECTIVES: Repeatedly negative prostate biopsies in individuals with elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels can be frustrating for both the patient and the urologist. This study was performed to investigate if magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided transrectal biopsy increases diagnostic performance in individuals with elevated or increasing PSA levels after previous negative conventional transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided biopsies. METHODS: 27 consecutive men with a PSA >4 ng/ml and/or suspicious finding on digital rectal examination, suspicious MRI findings, and at least one prior negative prostate biopsy were included. Median age was 66 years (mean, 64.5+/-6.8); median PSA was 10.2 ng/ml (mean, 11.3+/-5.5). MRI-guided biopsy was performed with a closed unit at 1.5 Tesla, an MRI-compatible biopsy device, a needle guide, and a titanium double-shoot biopsy gun. RESULTS: Median prostate volume was 37.4 cm3 (mean, 48.4+/-31.5); median volume of tumor suspicious areas on T2w MR images was 0.83 cm3 (mean, 0.99+/-0.78). The mean number of obtained cores per patient was 5.22+/-1.45 (median, 5; range, 2-8). Prostate cancer was detected in 55.5% (15 of 27) of the men. MRI-guided biopsy could be performed without complications in all cases. CONCLUSION: According to our knowledge, this is the largest cohort of consecutive men to be examined by MRI-guided transrectal biopsy of the prostate in this setting. The method is safe, can be useful to select suspicious areas in the prostate, and has the potential to improve cancer detection rate in men with previous negative TRUS-biopsies.     

Examination for indication of systematic biopsy for diagnosis of prostate cancer]

BACKGROUND: Systematic biopsy has been commonly used for detection of prostate cancer. Nevertheless, as this examination occasionally gives patients severe complications it is necessary to give careful consideration for application of this examination. Thus, we analyzed retrospectively 145 cases who underwent transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) guided systematic biopsy to evaluate the application of systematic biopsy, correlating with the findings of digital rectal examination (DRE), prostate specific antigen (PSA), the findings of transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) and the results of biopsies. METHODS: Between May, 1995 and May, 1997, 143 patients who were suspected to have prostate cancer with either of PSA and DRE, and 2 patients who received visual laser ablation of prostate (VLAP), underwent TRUS guided systematic biopsy of prostate. We evaluated diagnostic efficacy of PSA, DRE, TRUS, prostate-volume-specific PSA, and PSA density (PSAD). RESULTS: Sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value (P.P.V.) are 78.4%, 62.8% and 53.5% for DRE, 100.0%, 4.4% and 41.8% for PSA, 88.2%, 60.0% and 52.9% for TRUS, 87.8%, 72.1% and 64.2% for prostate-volume-specific PSA, 100.0%, 30.6% and 45.4% for PSAD, respectively. Ten of 69 patients (14.5%) whose PSA levels were 4.0 to 10.0 ng/ml were diagnosed as cancer, and positive for both or either of DRE and TRUS. Twenty-seven who were negative for both of DRE and TRUS were not diagnosed as prostate cancer. Using the combination of prostate-volume-specific PSA, DRE and TRUS, we could eliminate 29 non-cancer men (21.5%) whose PSA level was greater than 4.0 ng/ml from systematic biopsy. CONCLUSION: On the diagnosis of prostate cancer, the combination of prostate-volume-specific PSA, DRE and TRUS is very useful to exclude unnecessary systematic biopsy, if an urologist could be used to and trained for DRE and TRUS.     

Transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy of the prostate: random sextant versus biopsies of sono-morphologically suspicious lesions

Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided multiple systematic random biopsies are presently the method of choice for determining the presence or absence of prostate cancer. TRUS image information is only used to guide the biopsy needle into the prostate, but not to localize and target cancerous lesions. Our aim in this study was to evaluated the possible predictive value of tumor suspicious endosonographic lesions of the prostate for prostate biopsies. We prospectively compared six systematic biopsies with lesion guided biopsies in a consecutive series of 217 patients. All patients had a prostate specific antigen (PSA) level of >4 ng/ml without a history of prostate disease. In a subgroup of 145 men with sonomorphologic lesions suggestive for prostate cancer (hypoechoic areas or asymmetries predominantly in the peripheral zone), lesion-guided biopsies were taken in addition to the systematic biopsies. We evaluated the number of tumors which were diagnosed or missed by both of the biopsy strategies. Of the 217 evaluated patients, 64 (29%) had histology confirmed cancer. Four patients with negative sextant biopsies had a positive TRUS guided biopsy. Out of 145 patients with a normal TRUS, three were cancer positive by sextant biopsy. A total of 1,387 individual biopsy cores were evaluated. Of the 1,304 systematic biopsy cores, 182 (14%) were positive and 1,122 (86%) negative. Of the 329 TRUS lesion guided biopsy cores 139 (42%) were positive and 190 (58%) negative. Patients with tumor suggestive TRUS lesions have a considerably higher risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer compared to patients without such lesions. Both systematic sextant and TRUS lesion guided biopsies missed detectable prostate cancer in a minority of patients. Taking the endosonographic morphology of the prostate gland into consideration for biopsy strategies may improve the quality of the biopsy and avoid unnecessary invasive procedures in selected cases.     

Pilot study of the practical relevance of a one-step test for prostate-specific antigen in capillary blood to improve the acceptance rate in the early detection program of prostate carcinoma

Objective: Current studies have proven that early,organ-confined stages of prostate cancer can be diagnosed through screening based on PSA levels, thus reducing cancer mortality. Here we report about our experience using an innovative one-step test for PSA in capillary blood. Methods: The incubation time for a 50 μl blood sample with the indicator strip is 12 minutes until the qualitative visual results (<4.0 ng/ml or ≥ 4 ng/ml)appear. In cooperation with urologists and accompanied by an extensive information campaign, the one-step test was made available free of charge to all men between the ages of 45 and 75 in all 28 pharmacies of our city (100,000 inhabitants). Results: The test's acceptance rate among the 2119 participants between the ages of 45 and 75 years amounted to 13.0%. Fifteen percent of all the tests conducted showed a positive PSA result (≥ 4 ng/ml). Prostate carcinoma was histologically confirmed in 14 (0.66%) of the men, nine times in the early stage (T2) and five times in the clinical stage (T3),corresponding to an incidence of circa 650 cases per 100,000 men in the target age group. Conclusions: This newly developed PSA test system can enhance the acceptance rate and effectiveness of medical check-ups for prostate cancer, because it is easy-to-use, cost-effective and accurate (specificity 81.3%, sensitivity 91.1%). The test should be always conducted by an experienced physician. It is not a substitute for a regular physical examination (DRE, TRUS, biopsy...). This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Diagnostic significance of PSA density adjusted by transition zone volume in males with PSA levels between 2 and 4ng/ml

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnostic significance of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), density (PSAD), and PSAD adjusted by transition zone volume (PSATZD) in men with PSA levels between 2.1 and 4.0ng/ml. METHODS: Between 1993 and 2000, 69 men with PSA levels between 2.1 and 4.0ng/ml underwent transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) and 8-core prostate biopsy. Diagnostic accuracies for various cut-offs of PSAD and PSATZD were investigated according to subdivided PSA levels of 2.1 to 3.0ng/ml and 3.1 to 4.0ng/ml. RESULTS: The detection rate of prostate cancer was 21.7% (15/69). The percentage of patients with extracapsular disease was 33.3% (5/15) and primary Gleason grade 4 or 5 was obtained in 4 (26.7%) patients. The transition zone volume and PSATZD in cancer cases were significantly different in comparison with those in non-cancer cases. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for PSATZD was significantly higher in comparison with that for PSAD in the same subdivided PSA ranges. The diagnostic efficiency for PSATZD was higher than that for PSAD. The diagnostic efficiency showed the highest value at the cut-off level for PSATZD of 0.23 and 0.28 in men with PSA levels of 2.1 to 3.0ng/ml and 3.1 to 4.0ng/ml, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The use of PSATZD cut-offs as a biopsy indication may reduce many unnecessary biopsies without missing most prostate cancer cases in the PSA range of 2.1 to 4.0ng/ml.