血清PSA含量及前列腺PSA密度与经直肠超声引导下前列腺穿刺活检诊断前列腺癌的关系

目的探讨经直肠超声引导下前列腺穿刺活检术前列腺癌检出率与血清前列腺特异性抗原(PSA)及血清前列腺特异性抗原密度(PSAD)的关系。方法对134例患者行经直肠超声引导下前列腺5区13针系统穿刺活检。根据PSA水平分为PSA≤4ng/ml组(7例)、4ng/mlPSA15ng/ml组(48例)及PSA≥15ng/ml组(79例)。测量并计算前列腺体积(PV)及PSAD,分析前列腺癌检出率及不同PSA、PSAD水平下对前列腺癌的诊断效能。比较前列腺癌与非前列腺癌患者PSA、PV及PSAD的差异。结果前列腺癌总检出率为50.75%(68/134),前列腺患者共68例(前列腺癌组),非前列腺癌患者共66例(非前列腺啊组)。PSA≤4ng/ml、4ng/mlPSA≤15ng/ml及PSA15ng/ml组前列腺癌检出率分别为14.29%(1/7)、20.83%(10/48)及72.15%(57/79),差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。PSA≥4ng/ml时前列腺癌检出率随着PSA值的增高而上升。134例患者PSAD值为(1.09±1.72)ng/(ml·cm3),以PSAD≥0.19ng/(ml·cm3)为截点诊断前列腺癌的敏感度为95.59%(65/68),特异度为51.52%(34/66),阳性预测值67.01%(65/97),阴性预测值为32.99%(32/97)。4ng/mlPSA≤15ng/ml组中,以PSAD≥0.19ng/(ml.cm3)为截点诊断前列腺癌的敏感度为80.00%(8/10),特异度为71.05%(27/38),阳性预测值为42.11%(8/19),阴性预测值为57.89%(11/19)。前列腺癌组PSA及PSAD值均高于非前列腺癌组(P均0.05),PV小于非前列腺癌组(P0.05)。4ng/mlPSA≤15ng/ml组中,前列腺癌与非前列腺癌患者PSA及PV差异均无统计学意义(P均0.05),前列腺癌患者PSAD高于非前列腺癌患者(P0.05)。结论血清PSA及PSAD均与前列腺穿刺活检前列腺癌检出率有关,PSA15ng/ml应行穿刺活检,PSAD对4ng/mlPSA≤15ng/ml的患者是否应行穿刺活检具有指导意义。     

PSA、PSAD和PSAT在前列腺穿刺活检中的价值

目的 研究血清前列腺特异性抗原(PSA)及其密度(PSAD)和移行带密度(PSAT)在前列腺穿刺活检中的价值.方法 选取本院2014年5月至2015年5月收治的150例患者进行前列腺穿刺活检,分析并比较PSA、PSAD、PSAT在前列腺穿刺活检中的差异及其在确诊疾病方面的价值.结果 在前列腺穿刺活检的150例中发现PSA＜4 ng/mL有8例,4 ng/mL≤PSA≤20 ng/mL有66例,PSA ＞20 ng/mL有76例.其中在PSA＜4 ng/mL的8例中,活检结果良性前列腺增生6例,前列腺小细胞癌1例,前列腺横纹肌肉瘤1例.在4 ng/mL≤PSA≤20 ng/mL的66例中,活检结果诊断为前列腺癌增生患者54例,活检阳性率为81.8％,PSA平均值为(13.98±1.51) ng/mL,PSAD平均值为(0.32±0.18);PSAT平均值为(0.35±0.18);活检前列腺癌12例,活检阳性率为19.2％,PSA平均值为(14.29±1.48) ng/mL,PSAD平均值为(0.42±0.15),PSAT平均值为(0.82±0.15);将其分为良性前列腺增生组和前列腺癌组,两组差异具有统计学意义(P＜0.05).当PSAD ＞0.13或PSAT＞ 0.15时,前列腺癌的敏感性分别为92.86％和96.94％.在PSA＞ 20 ng/mL的76例中,前列腺癌有68例,活检阳性率89.47％.结论 在4 ng/mL≤PSA≤20 ng/mL时,PSAD和PSAT对前列腺增生和前列腺癌的鉴别诊断具有重要意义,其中又以PSAT更为准确;PSA＞ 20ng/mL时,应高度怀疑前列腺癌,及时确诊治疗.     

PSA＞1Ong/ml时经直肠前列腺穿刺活检的临床分析

目的 探讨当PSA＞ 10ng/ml时经直肠前列腺穿刺活检的临床价值。方法 对120例前列腺特异性抗原(PSA)＞ 10ng/ml的患者行超声引导下经直肠前列腺穿刺活检。结果 120例患者中前列腺癌患者46例,前列腺增生患者44例,前列腺炎患者9例,前列腺上皮内瘤(PIN)患者19例,前列腺梗死患者3例。有38例出现一...     

磁共振波谱成像联合血清PSA在前列腺癌诊断中的价值

目的初步探讨磁共振波谱成像(MRS)与血清前列腺特异抗原(PSA)在前列腺癌诊断中的应用。方法选取血清PSA异常40例男性患者行前列腺MRS并与病理结果对照。再分析MRS联合不同水平PSA(低危组4ng/mlPSA10ng/ml,高危组PSA≥10ng/ml)穿刺活检的阳性率。结果病理证实前列腺癌19例、非前列腺癌21例(良性前列腺增生,20例,前列腺炎症1例)。单独MRS前列腺穿刺活检阳性率为60%,低危组前列腺活检阳性率为31.25%,高危组前列腺活检阳性率为58.3%,MRS联合PSA低危组前列腺活检阳性率为42.8%,MRS同时联合PSA高危组活检阳性率为66.7%,各组差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论 MRS诊断前列腺癌具有无创和简便优点,其联合PSA有助于提高诊断的准确性。     

前列腺特异性抗原升高的组织病理学基础

目的 探讨前列腺特异性抗原(PSA)与前列腺结节增生、Ⅳ型前列腺炎及前列腺癌之间的关系,探讨PSA升高的病理学基础.方法 有完整临床病理资料的前列腺疾病504例患者,均无前列腺癌和穿刺活检史,均行PSA、全身骨扫描、MRI和前列腺穿刺活检.直肠B超引导下以18G自动穿刺活检枪行双侧叶6-13点法前列腺穿刺活检.对患者穿刺的病理标本按前列腺结节增生、前列腺癌以及Ⅳ型前列腺炎病理诊断标准进行评价.结果 504例患者经病理证实前列腺癌185例(37%),Ⅳ型前列腺炎109例(21%),前列腺增生210例(42%).3组总PSA(t-PSA)分别为27.6(0.4～7116)、10.6(0.2～168)和9.2(0.3～60)ng/ml,3组间比较差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01);f-PSA分别为3.5(0.1～3356)、1.7(0.1～42)和1.5(0.06～15.8)ng/ml,3组间比较差异有统计学意义(P＜0.001);f/t-PSA分别为0.14(0＜0.94)、0.17(0.04～0.91)和0.16(0.02～0.75).3组间比较差异有统计学意义(P=0.019);3组间年龄、B超、直肠指诊结果比较差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).前列腺癌分级与f-PSA(r=0.33,P＜0.001)、t-PSA(r=0.27,P＜0.001),f/t-PSA(r=0.22,P=0.003)具有显著相关性;多元线性回归分析发现前列腺癌分级与f-PSA(t=-2.34,P=0.02),t-PSA(t=2.77,P=0.006),f/t-PSA(t=3.97,P＜0.001)具有显著相关性.前列腺癌临床分期间f-PSA和t-PSA差异有统计学意义(P＜0.001).210例前列腺增生患者若按腺体增生为主和间质增生为主2类比较,t-PSA和f-PSA差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.05).多元线性回归分析发现t-PSA足前列腺增生病理结节类型最相关的指标,t-PSA≥2.5 ng/ml,确定腺体增生为主型前列腺增生的敏感性为96%,特异性为20%(P＜0.05).Ⅳ型前列腺炎109例和前列腺增生210例,2组间比较f-PSA,t-PSA,f/t-PSA差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).通过ROC曲线确定前列腺癌敏感指标的界值:f-PSA≥0.85 ng/ml,t-PSA≥4 ng/ml和f/t-PSA≤0.16(P＜0.05).结论 血清PSA升高的病理基础为任何破坏前列腺上皮血屏障的病变;任何形成前列腺上皮增生,分泌更多PSA的病变;其中以破坏前列腺上皮血屏障最重要.     

血清PSA筛选结合经直肠B超引导穿刺活检诊断前列腺癌

目的 探讨经直肠B超(TRUS)引导穿刺活检在诊断前列腺癌中的临床价值. 方法 通过血清前列腺特异性抗原(PSA)的测定和筛选,对64例有排尿症状,血清PSA≥4 ng/ml男性患者行TRUS定位前列腺10针穿刺活检. 结果 穿刺活检确诊前列腺癌28例(43.75%),良性前列腺增生36例(56.25%).与术后病检结果对比,有3例术前穿刺活检为良性前列腺增生,术后病检确诊为前列腺癌,穿刺活检诊断前列腺癌的敏感度为90.32%(28/31),漏诊患者血清PSA 4.5～9.2 ng/ml.穿刺后不良反应有一过性血尿2例、肛门或会阴部痛5例,均自行缓解消失. 结论 TRUS定位前列腺穿刺活检具有准确、安全等优点,并发症少,简单易行,是确诊前列腺癌的有效方法之一,穿刺中除重视可疑区外,等回声区亦不能忽视,多点多部位的穿刺能降低漏诊.同时结合血清PSA测定,不但能提高早期诊断率,而且有助于前列腺癌患者的随访.     

单中心前列腺穿刺活检结果查询表的建立

目的：综合利用PSA及其相关参数建立能够简便查询的前列腺穿刺阳性率查询表.方法纳入2009年7月至2015年3月在解放军总医院行前列腺穿刺活检的患者,收集前列腺体积、游离PSA(free PSA,fPSA)和总PSA(total PSA,tPSA)等临床资料.多因素Logistic回归分析预测前列腺癌的独立性影响因素,并利用相关因素建立前列腺穿刺阳性结果查询表.结果资料完整且病理结果为前列腺癌和前列腺增生的患者纳入研究,共1077例.根据PSA水平分为0~2.5、2.6~4.0、4.1~10.0、10.1~20.0和＞20.0 ng/ml 5组,前列腺癌检出率分别为20.9％、20.0％、37.3％、48.1％和80.2％,随着PSA水平的升高,前列腺癌检出率也明显升高.多因素Logistic回归分析发现tPSA、fPSA和前列腺体积均为前列腺癌的独立性预测因素,tPSA、fPSA百分比(free to total PSA,f/tPSA)和PSA密度(PSA density,PSAD)在前列腺癌和前列腺增生两组间存在显著差异(P＜0.05),综合利用上述3个指标建立前列腺阳性穿刺查询表.结论本研究根据 tPSA、f/tPSA和PSAD建立的查询表为临床前列腺穿刺活检提供了一个简便实用的阳性率查询工具.     

经直肠超声引导下“6+X”点法前列腺穿刺活检术在PSA值＞20ng/ml患者前列腺癌诊断中的价值

目的 探讨经直肠超声引导下“6+X”前列腺穿刺活检术在PSA值＞20ng/ml之间患者前列腺癌诊断中的价值.方法 回顾性分析57例血清PSA值＞20ng/ml之间疑似前列腺癌患者临床资料,所有患者均行经直肠超声引导下前列腺穿刺术活检.结果 前列腺癌54例,急性前列腺炎3例.结论 经直肠超声引导下“6+X”前列腺穿刺活检是诊断PSA值＞20ng/ml之间患者前列腺癌的一种安全有效的检查方法.     

超声造影检查在经会阴前列腺穿刺活检中的应用价值

目的 探讨超声造影检查在经直肠超声引导下(CE-TRUS)经会阴前列腺穿刺活检中的临床应用价值.方法 病例选择标准:①直肠指检异常;②PSA>10 ng/ml;③PSA 4～10 ng/ml,f/t PSA异常或PSAD值异常,符合以上之一者即入围此研究.共116例入选者,年龄50～84岁,既往均无前列腺手术病史.行6点系统加异常回声处活检,其中PSA＜10ng/ml者25例,10 ng/ml～者25例,20 ng/ml～者11例,>30 ng/ml者55例.行CF-TRUS经会阴前列腺穿刺活检,彩色多普勒超声检查并记录前列腺局灶性病变部位、回声特征及彩色多普勒血流等情况,其中43例行前列腺超声造影,了解并记录异常血流部位.结果 116例患者穿刺活检证实前列腺癌64例,BPH 52例.43例行超声造影检查后活检者,前列腺癌和BPH分别为25及18例,造影组和非造影组前列腺癌穿刺阳性率比较差异无统计学意义(P=0.622).PSA≤30ng/ml组共61例,其中行超声造影23例,发现前列腺癌8例,未造影组38例中发现前列腺癌5例,造影组穿刺阳性率高于非造影组,2组比较差异有统计学意义(P=0.046);PSA>30 ng/ml患者造影和非造影穿刺阳性率(97.1%与85.0%)比较差异无统计学意义(P=0.095). 结论与B超引导下经直肠前列腺活检相比,CE-TRUS经会阴前列腺穿刺活检并发症少而轻.PSA≤30ng/ml患者结合超声造影检查能提高前列腺癌穿刺阳性率.     

血清PSA〈4．0ng/ml的人群中前列腺癌集团筛查的病理学特征

目的探讨血清PSA<4.0ng/ml的人群中前列腺癌的病理学特征。方法对长春市15192名男性进行血清前列腺特异性抗原(PSA)检测,其中46名血清PSA<4.0ng/ml伴有直肠指诊检查异常者接受了经直肠超声引导下前列腺6点活检穿刺,并应用组织病理学、免疫组织化学及统计学等方法进行系统的病理学研究和分析。结果(1)血清PSA<4.0ng/ml者有13886名,46人进行了前列腺活检穿刺,活检率为0.33%(46/13886)。(2)46名男性血清PSA值在0.03～3.84ng/ml之间,主要分布在0～1.9ng/ml间,占60.9%。(3)46例前列腺活检病理诊断:良性前列腺增生29例,占63.1%;前列腺癌10例,占21.7%;炎症性病变与肉瘤各3例,分别占6.5%;转移癌1例占2.2%。10例血清PSA<4.0ng/ml的前列腺癌中普通型腺癌5例,以中分化(3/5)、器官内癌(4/5)为主,且血清PSA值较靠近4ng/ml;特殊类型前列腺癌5例,占50%,均为进展期癌,血清PSA值相对较低。结论(1)血清PSA<4.0ng/ml的人群中有前列腺癌存在。(2)血清PSA<4.0ng/ml的人群中前列腺癌以中分化器官内腺癌和特殊类型进展期前列腺癌为主。(3)应用直肠指诊检查(DRE)能检出血清PSA<4.0ng/ml的前列腺癌,且检出率与血清PSA值成正相关,两者联合应用可以提高前列腺癌的检出率。     

Prevalence of prostate specific antigen testing for prostate cancer in elderly men

PURPOSE: We investigated the prevalence and outcome of PSA testing for prostate cancer screening or diagnosis in elderly men 75 years or older at our academic medical center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was used to identify all men 75 years or older who underwent a PSA test through the family medicine or internal medicine service at our institution between January 1, 1998 and June 30, 2004. All patients with a suspected (PSA less than 0.1 ng/ml) or confirmed prior diagnosis of prostate cancer were excluded. The prevalence of PSA testing was then compared to that in younger age groups (45 to 54, 55 to 64 and 65 to 74 years). We then examined the frequency and nature of further evaluation and treatment performed in men following the PSA test. RESULTS: The 8,787 male patients who were 75 years or older generated a total of 82,672 visits in the 5.5-year period. Of these patients 505 (5.7%) underwent at least 1 PSA test. The prevalence of PSA testing in the younger age groups was 10.3% (1,769 of 17,175) in patients 45 to 54 years old, 14.9% (2,052 of 13,772) in those 55 to 64 years old and 11.8% (1,258 of 10,661) in those 65 to 74 years old (chi-square test p <0.001). Of these patients 98 of 343 (28.6%) with PSA between 0.1 and 4 ng/ml were referred to a urologist at our institution and 3 underwent biopsy. None had a prostate cancer diagnosis. Of the 162 patients with PSA more than 4 ng/ml 84 (51.9%) were referred to a urologist. Only 10 of the 84 patients (11.9%) who were referred to a urologist underwent prostate biopsy. Six of the 10 men (60%) were diagnosed with prostate cancer, including 1 with a Gleason 6 tumor, 1 with a Gleason 7 tumor and 4 who were found to have tumors with a Gleason score of 8 or greater. All patients received androgen deprivation therapy, except 1 who received local external beam radiation therapy. An additional patient was diagnosed by biopsy of a vertebral lesion and he received hormone therapy. At a median followup of 51 months (range 28 to 72) 4 of 7 men (57%) were alive with disease. CONCLUSIONS: PSA testing for prostate cancer screening and diagnosis appear to decrease with advancing age. A small but significant proportion of men who are 75 years or older continue to undergo PSA testing. Abnormal PSA results do not always result in further evaluation and therapy for prostate cancer in elderly men. The establishment of firm guideline recommendations regarding PSA testing and further evaluation for prostate cancer in elderly men, perhaps based on individualized geriatric assessment, may be helpful.     

Clinical usefulness of serum prostate specific antigen for the detection of prostate cancer is preserved in men receiving the dual 5alpha-reductase inhibitor dutasteride

PURPOSE: We determined whether the decrease in serum PSA seen with 5alpha-reductase inhibitors affects the clinical usefulness of PSA for prostate cancer screening using data from 2 dutasteride benign prostatic hyperplasia studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 2,802 men 50 years or older with a clinical diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia, no history of prostate cancer, PSA 1.5 to 10 ng/ml, prostate volume 30 cc or greater, an American Urological Association symptom score of 12 or greater and peak urinary flow rate 15 ml per second or less were randomized to 0.5 mg dutasteride daily or matching placebo for 24 months. Increases in PSA from baseline and the maximum increase from nadir to month 24 were compared between the groups and analyzed by prostate cancer status, as determined by PSA driven biopsy and an advised cutoff of more than 4 ng/ml after doubling to correct for dutasteride treatment with sensitivity and specificity calculated for each. RESULTS: In placebo treated men without prostate cancer there was an 8.3% median increase in PSA at month 24 compared with -59.5% in those who received dutasteride, using doubled values to correct for dutasteride treatment. In those with prostate cancer these changes were 23.8% and -37.2%, respectively. Using the upper PSA limit of 4 ng/ml sensitivity for prostate cancer in men receiving dutasteride vs placebo was 0.737 vs 0.804, while specificity was 0.671 vs 0.578. Using a PSA increase from nadir of 0.8 ng/ml the sensitivity of dutasteride was 0.548 and its specificity was 0.795. CONCLUSIONS: A doubling factor is effective for maintaining the sensitivity and specificity of PSA for prostate cancer detection in men on dutasteride. Increases in serum PSA in men receiving dutasteride should be considered suspicious and serial PSA measurements should be used to evaluate changes from nadir.     

The effect of finasteride on prostate-specific antigen in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia

Finasteride is a specific 5-α-reductase inhibitor that has been shown to reduce prostate size and decrease serum levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA). Among men who received finasteride (5 mg/day) for 12 months in North American clinical trials and in whom prostate cancer was not diagnosed the median percentage change in PSA was ?50% (5–95% range: ?81% to + 20%). At baseline 72% had PSA ? 4.0 ng/ml and 93% had PSA ? 10.0 ng/ml. After 12 months on finasteride, 75% had PSA ? 2.0 ng/ml and 95% had PSA ? 5.0 ng/ml. Thus, the proportion of BPH patients with PSA levels of 2.0 ng/ml and 5.0 ng/ml after 12 months of treatment was comparable to the proportion with pretreatment PSA levels of 4.0 ng/ml and 10.0 ng/ml. Among the 10 men in these trials subsequently diagnosed with prostate cancer while on long-term finasteride therapy (5 mg/day), the median percentage change in PSA was ?26% (range: ?48% to + 12%). Limited experience with finasteride in men with prostate cancer suggests that the reduction in PSA of malignant origin appears to be no greater than the percentage reduction in PSA of benign origin. These effects on PSA have not been shown to confer any therapeutic benefit. Physicians using finasteride should be aware of its effect on PSA levels. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

THE EFFECT OF HIGH GRADE PROSTATIC INTRAEPITHELIAL NEOPLASIA ON SERUM TOTAL AND PERCENTAGE OF FREE PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGEN LEVELS

PURPOSE: It is established that the percentage of free prostate specific antigen (PSA) in serum is low in patients with prostate cancer. An unanswered question is whether a low percentage of free PSA can be explained by high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia alone. We compared the percentage of free PSA in men with high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia alone, prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and a normal prostate (that is normal digital rectal examination and PSA less than or equal to 2.5 ng./ml.). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From October 1994 through December 1997, 48 men were diagnosed with high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia without concomitant prostate cancer. Of these men 43 with a mean age plus or minus standard deviation of 67.4 +/- 7.8 years comprised our study group. To date none has been diagnosed with cancer during followup. Serum free and total PSA levels were measured, and the percentage of free PSA was calculated. The percentage of free PSA in the 43 men was compared to that in 50 with prostate cancer (mean age 65.4 +/- 7.8 years), 50 with biopsy proved BPH (67 +/- 7) and 43 with a normal prostate (61 +/- 8). RESULTS: There was no significant difference in mean total serum PSA in patients with high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, prostate cancer or BPH. The percentage of free PSA was significantly lower in patients with prostate cancer (14.9 +/- 6.5%) than those with high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (20.8 +/- 7.1%), BPH (20.1 +/- 7.3%) or a normal prostate (27.7 +/- 12.2%). There was also no significant difference in the percentage of free PSA between men with high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (20.8 +/- 7.1%) and those with BPH (20.1 +/- 7.3%). Additionally, men with a normal prostate had a higher percentage of free PSA (27.7%) than those with BPH (20.1%), high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (20.8%) or prostate cancer (14.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The percentages of free PSA in men with high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and BPH are similar, and significantly higher than those found in men with prostate cancer.     

Preoperative serum prostate specific antigen levels between 2 and 22 ng./ml. correlate poorly with post-radical prostatectomy cancer morphology: prostate specific antigen cure rates appear constant between 2 and 9 ng./ml.

PURPOSE: Serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) is widely used as a guide to initiate prostatic biopsies and to follow men older than 50 years old with and without prostate cancer. However, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common cause of serum PSA values between 2 and 10 ng./ml. A better understanding of the relationships among serum PSA, prostate cancer and BPH is important. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 875 men underwent radical prostatectomy at our institution between December 1984 and January 1997. Of these men 784 had a serum PSA of 2 to 22 ng./ml., including 579 with the largest cancer located in the peripheral zone of the prostate. Of the 579 men 406 had serum PSA followups for greater than 3 years after radical prostatectomy. We examined Pearson correlations (R2) between preoperative serum PSA, and the volume of Gleason grades 4/5 and 3 to 1 cancer in 784 men, separating peripheral zone from transition zone cancers. We used broken line regression with break points of 7 and 9 ng./ml. preoperative PSA to summarize the relationship of each PSA doubling to 5 different morphological variables in 579 men with peripheral zone cancer. A 9 ng./ml. break point was used for prostate weight. Trend summaries with a local regression line for the relationships between 6 morphological variables and PSA were superimposed on full scatterplots of the 579 men with PSA less than 22 ng./ml. Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine 5-year PSA failure-free probabilities based on 406 men with minimal PSA followups greater than 3 years at break points of 7 to 9 ng./ml. PSA. RESULTS: Pearson correlation between cancer volume and preoperative serum PSA in 875 men was weak (r2 = 0.27) and driven by large cancers with serum PSA greater than 22 ng./ml. For peripheral zone cancer the overall R2 x 100 for 641 men with low and high grade cancer was 10% and only 3% for low grade cancer, that is almost no PSA produced by these peripheral zone cancers enters the serum. All morphological variables changed at rates of doubtful medical significance below a PSA of 7 to 9 ng./ml. but at rates that were significantly worse above 9 ng./ml. R2 for these relationships was never greater than 15%. Large individual morphological variations at all levels of PSA emphasize the serious limitation of PSA as a predictor of prostate cancer morphology. Below 9 ng./ml. prostate weight increased by 21% for each doubling of PSA but above 9 ng./ml. the increase was only 4.8%. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative serum PSA has a clinically useless relationship with cancer volume and grade in radical prostatectomy specimens, and a limited relationship with PSA cure rates at preoperative serum PSA levels of 2 to 9 ng./ml. Trend summaries for prostate weight on broken line regression showed that below 9 ng./ml. BPH is a strong contender for the cause of PSA elevation, constituting the primary cause of the over diagnosis of prostate cancer.     

Longitudinal PSA changes in men with and without prostate cancer: assessment of prostate cancer risk

BACKGROUND: To determine longitudinal PSA changes over a period of 10 years in patients with and without prostate cancer. METHODS: Serial PSA measurements performed over 10 years were evaluated in 353 men who eventually developed prostate cancer and in 2.462 participants of a screening program without prostatic malignancy. RESULTS: In men with cancer, mean tPSA increased from 2.28 ng/ml at 10 years before diagnosis to 6.37 ng/ml at the time of postive biopsy (PSA velocity: 0.409 ng/ml/year). PSA velocity was significantly associated with Gleason scores and pathologic stage. In the benign group (n=2.462), mean tPSA increased from 1.18 to 1.49 ng/ml over a period of 10 years (PSA velocity of 0.03 ng/ml/year). Of the subjects with tPSA levels of 2 ng/ml or less, 2 years prior to cancer diagnosis, 11.4% had tPSA values of more than 4 ng/ml at the time of biopsy. Of the 972 men with tPSA below 1 ng/ml 2 years before the most recent measurement was obtained, 966 (99.4%) had no evidence of prostate cancer 2 years later, while six were found to have malignancies (0.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Longitudinal PSA changes in men with and without prostate cancer are significantly different. Annual testing may not be required in men with baseline tPSA levels of 1 ng/ml or below, whereas in patients with levels higher than 1 ng/ml, it seems to be indicated because of the significant percentage of men presenting with tPSA levels of more than 4 ng/ml two years later.     

Prostate specific antigen changes as related to the initial prostate specific antigen: data from the prostate, lung, colorectal and ovarian cancer screening trial

PURPOSE: Annual screening with PSA, although of unproven benefit, is currently used for prostate cancer early detection. A large fraction of screened men have low (less than 2 ng/ml) initial PSA. The yield over time of positive PSA screens (ie more than 4 ng/ml) in these men has not been well characterized in large cohorts in the United States. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Men in the screening arm of the PLCO received baseline PSA and annual tests for 5 years. 30,495 of these men had baseline PSA 4 ng/ml or less. We estimated the cumulative probability of converting to PSA greater than 4 at years 1 through 5 as a function of baseline PSA. RESULTS: Among men with baseline PSA less than 1 ng/ml, 1.5% converted by year 5 (95% CI 1.2-1.7). Among men with baseline PSA of 1.0 to 1.99 ng/ml, 1.2% (95% CI 0.9-1.3) and 7.4% (95% CI 6.8-8.1) converted by year 1 and 5, respectively. A total of 33.5% and 79% of men with initial PSA of 2.0 to 2.99 and 3.0 to 4.0, respectively, converted by year 5. Of men with baseline PSA less than 1 ng/ml converting to PSA more than 4 ng/ml, 8% were diagnosed with cancer within 2 years of conversion. About 10% of men with baseline PSA less than 1 ng/ml and negative baseline DRE had a positive DRE within 3 years. CONCLUSIONS: For men choosing PSA screening, screening every 5 years for baseline PSA less than 1 ng/ml and every 2 years for PSA 1 to 2 ng/ml could result in a 50% reduction in PSA tests and in less than 1.5% of men missing earlier positive screens, but with an unknown effect on prostate cancer mortality.     

Prognostic features in men who died of prostate cancer

PURPOSE: Since the advent of widespread prostate specific antigen (PSA) based screening in the United States, the risk of over diagnosis as well as delayed diagnosis due to existing PSA thresholds has become a concern. Treatment decision planning is generally linked to prognostic variables, most notably PSA, clinical stage and Gleason grade. We examined these and other prognostic variables in a cohort of men who ultimately died of prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 413 men with prostate cancer in a cohort in San Antonio, Texas between 1993 and 2003 who died of disease we identified 211 who died as a direct result of prostate cancer. In these cases we assessed presenting symptoms, PSA history, tumor stage and Gleason score at diagnosis. RESULTS: Of the 211 men 141 (67%) underwent screening for prostate cancer prior to diagnosis. Of 190 men with PSA data at diagnosis available 7 (3.7%) had PSA less than 4.0 ng/ml and 27 (14%) had PSA 4.0 to 10.0 ng/ml. Clinical stage distribution was cT1 in 21.1% of cases, cT2 in 50.7% and cT3 in 26.8%. Of 167 men for whom biopsy Gleason grade was available 16.8%, 16.2%, 24% and 43.1% had Gleason sum 5 or less, 6, 7 and 8 or higher, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: While most men who ultimately die of prostate cancer have poor prognostic features, a substantial number have features associated with a potentially good prognosis, including low PSA and low Gleason grade. Many men who died of prostate cancer had undergone prior screening. These data demonstrate the need for improved markers of prognosis and continued assessment of the efficacy of screening with PSA.     

Prostate cancer detection in Black and White men with abnormal digital rectal examination and prostate specific antigen less then 4 ng./ml

PURPOSE: Prostate cancer is more common in black than in white American men. Experience in a longitudinal prostate cancer screening program implies that cancer detection is greater in black than in white men with an abnormal digital rectal examination and prostate specific antigen (PSA) less than 4 ng./ml. We investigated potential racial differences in cancer detection in men treated in clinical practice who had an abnormal digital rectal examination and PSA less than 4 ng./ml. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1992 and December 1999 prostate biopsy was done at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center in 179 black and 357 white men with an abnormal digital rectal examination, PSA less than 4 ng./ml. and no history of prostate surgery. Significant racial differences in demographic and clinical parameters were limited to PSA, which was higher in black men (p = 0.01). RESULTS: Cancer was detected in 38 black (21%) and 65 white (18%) men (p = 0.42). There were no significant racial differences in the PSA adjusted cancer detection rate or in the Gleason score of detected disease. In men with PSA less than 1.0, 1.0 to 1.9, 2.0 to 2.9 and 3.0 to 3.9 ng./ml. the detection rate was 4%, 15%, 27% and 29%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In clinical practice prostate cancer detection appears to be equivalent in black and white men when an abnormal digital rectal examination is the only indication of malignancy.