Bone scanning--who needs it among patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer?

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the relationship between serum PSA and clinical variables to eliminate bone scanning in patients with prostate cancer having a low probability of bone metastasis. METHODS: The study included 366 patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer between 1999 and 2005. Bone metastasis was studied for its correlation with various clinical and pathological variables in these patients. RESULTS: Bone metastasis was found in 28 (7.7%) of 366 patients. Fourteen patients had skeletal symptoms related to bone metastasis. The risk for bone metastases increased considerably with increases of PSA level, clinical T stage and Gleason score. The metastasis was not found in 161 patients with serum PSA concentration of 10 ng/ml or lower. In 95 patients with the concentration between 10 and 20 ng/ml only two had the metastasis. These two patients had T2 disease and Gleason scores of 7 or greater. In 204 patients with clinical stage T1 disease, one (0.5%) had the metastasis. In 117 patients with Gleason scores of 6 or less, the metastasis was found in two (1.7%). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with serum PSA levels of 10 ng/ml or lower, bone scanning may be eliminated because of the negligible risk of bone metastases. In addition, scanning may not be necessary for those with PSA levels between 10 and 20 ng/ml, when they have T1 disease and Gleason scores of 6 or lower.     

Value of free-to-total prostate-specific antigen ratio for detection and staging of prostate cancer

Background. We aimed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of measurement of the free-to-total (F/T) ratio of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) for the differentiation of prostate cancer from benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and for the staging of prostate cancer. Values for PSA density (PSAD) and PSAD adjusted to the transition zone volume (PSAD-T) were also evaluated in patients with mildly elevated PSA levels (4.1–10 ng/ml). Methods. Total and free PSA and the F/T ratio were determined in 80 men with prostate cancer and 48 men BPH before treatment. PSA levels were measured with a chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay. Results. Patients with prostate cancer had a significantly lower F/T ratio than those with BPH. A cut-off value of 14% for the F/T ratio provided a positive predictive value of 81.6% and a negative predictive value of 65.4%. The F/T ratio did not differ between patients with clinically localized and metastatic prostate cancer. In patients with a PSA value of 4.1–10 ng/ml, a cut-off value of 14% for the F/T ratio provided a sensitivity of 66.7% and a specificity of 76.2%. Sixty percent of the missed cancer in patients with an F/T value of 14% or more could be rescued using the PSAD value. Conclusion. Measurement of the F/T PSA ratio has good sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing prostate cancer from BPH, especially in patients with a PSA level of 4.1–10 ng/ml. However, compared with serum PSA level, the F/T PSA ratio is not valuable for the clinical staging of prostate cancer. Received: June 23, 1999 / Accepted: September 22, 1999     

血清PSA及fPSA/tPSA比值在前列腺癌骨转移诊断中的价值

目的:通过分析前列腺癌患者血清中前列腺癌特异性抗原（PSA）浓度和游离前列腺特异性抗原（fPSA）/总前列腺特异性抗原（tPSA）与骨转移的关系,探讨血清PSA和fPSA/tPSA在诊断前列腺癌骨转移中的价值。方法:采用电化学发光法检测74例前列腺癌患者血清中的fPSA、tPSA浓度并计算fPSA/tPSA,并对所有前列腺癌患者进行全身骨扫描显像。结果:74例前列腺癌患者当中无骨转移的29例,有骨转移的45例,分别占前列腺癌患者的39.2％和60.8％。在发生骨转移的前列腺癌患者当中单一病灶的有5例,占11.1%,其中3例转移灶在骨盆,2例在椎体;转移灶为两处的有3例,占6.7%;三处或三处以上转移的有37例,占82.2%。从骨转移发生的部位来看,椎体转移的最多,有35例;其次为骨盆转移,有31例;发生肋骨转移的有28例;四肢骨转移的有9例;其它部位转移的有2例。前列腺癌骨转移组和无骨转移组的PSA和fPSA/tPSA分别为（57.68±38.67） ng/ml、0.14±0.08和（21.61±17.87） ng/ml、0.25±0.09,差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论:前列腺癌骨转移以多发病灶为主,且病灶主要发生在脊柱和骨盆。前列腺癌患者随血清PSA浓度的升高,fPSA/tPSA比值降低,发生骨转移的比例增高,当PSA>20.00 ng/ml或fPSA/tPSA≤0.15时,诊断前列腺癌骨转移的灵敏度和特异度较高。     

Diagnosis of bone metastasis in men with prostate cancer by measurement of serum ICTP in combination with alkali phosphatase and prostate-specific antigen

AimsCarboxy-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) is a parameter of bone absorption, and has recently been introduced to monitor bone metastases. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the potential of ICTP as a candidate serum marker of bone metastasis in prostate cancer.Materials and methodsSerum markers in 155 men pathologically diagnosed with prostate cancer were measured. The serum levels of ICTP, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and alkali phosphatase (ALP) were compared to assess the extent of disease (EOD) scores from bone scans and then analysed statistically.ResultsThe serum ICTP levels were not well correlated with the EOD scores in the total group of men, men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer, or men previously diagnosed with prostate cancer who were followed up. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of ICTP (cut-off value, 5.0 ng/ml) of the men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer were 78.6%, 88.0%, 78.6%, and 88.0%, respectively. In these men, the specificity and PPV of ALP (cut-off value, 335 IU/l) were 100%, whereas the sensitivity and NPV of PSA (cut-off value, 40 ng/ml) were 100% in this study. The serum levels of ICTP in the men with low ALP (<335 IU/l) and high PSA (≥40 ng/ml) clearly separated the men with or without bone metastasis, as judged by bone scans.ConclusionWe found that the ICTP is not a superior serum marker for bone metastases compared with ALP or PSA. Our study suggests, however, that the ICTP measurement is useful in a certain subset of men with the combination of PSA and ALP in distinguishing men with bone metastasis from those without.     

Long-term follow-up of 111In-capromab pendetide (ProstaScint) scan as pretreatment assessment in patients who undergo salvage radiotherapy for rising prostate-specific antigen after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer

PURPOSE: To evaluate the long-term failure patterns in patients who underwent an (111)In-capromab pendetide (ProstaScint) scan as part of their pretreatment assessment for a rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level after prostatectomy and subsequently received local radiotherapy (RT) to the prostate bed. METHODS: Fifty-eight patients were referred for evaluation of a rising PSA level after radical prostatectomy. All patients had negative findings for metastatic disease after abdominal/pelvis imaging with CT and isotope bone scans. All patients underwent a capromab pendetide scan, and the sites of uptake were noted. All patients were treated with local prostate bed RT (median dose 66.6 Gy). RESULTS: Of the 58 patients, 20 had biochemical failure (post-RT PSA level >0.2 ng/mL or a rise to greater than the nadir PSA), including 6 patients with positive uptake outside the bed (positive elsewhere). The 4-year biochemical relapse-free survival (bRFS) rates for patients with negative (53%), positive in the prostate bed alone (45%), or positive elsewhere (74%) scan findings did not differ significantly (p = 0.51). The positive predictive value of the capromab pendetide scan in detecting disease outside the bed was 27%. The capromab pendetide scan status had no effect on bRFS. Those with a pre-RT PSA level of <1 ng/mL had improved bRFS (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: The capromab pendetide scan has a low positive predictive value in patients with positive elsewhere uptake and the 4-year bRFS was similar to that for those who did not exhibit positive elsewhere uptake. Therefore, patients with a postprostatectomy rising PSA level should considered for local RT on the basis of clinicopathologic factors.     

Histological diagnosis of prostate cancer in Korean men aged 70-79 years

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the value of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the diagnosis of prostate cancer in elderly Korean men, aged 70-79 years. METHODS: Patients with an abnormal digital rectal examination (DRE) and/or a serum PSA level greater than 2.0 ng/ml underwent a biopsy. A total of 344 men (median age 73 years) constituted the study cohort. RESULTS: Of 344 men, 163 (47.4%) were diagnosed with prostate cancer upon initial biopsy. The positive predictive value (PPV) for cancer was 48.4% for a PSA cutoff of 4 ng/ml, 65.3% for a cutoff of 10 ng/ml, and 87.0% for a cutoff of 20 ng/ml. When combined with an abnormal DRE, the predictive values for these PSA cutoffs increased to 79.3, 87.3 and 100%, respectively. When 10 ng/ml was chosen as a PSA cutoff level, about 50% of patients were found to have a Gleason score of 7 or higher. When 4 ng/ml was chosen as a PSA cutoff level, more than 50% of patients with an abnormal DRE were found to have a Gleason score of 7 or higher. CONCLUSIONS: In elderly men, more than 50% of patients are found to have cancers with a Gleason score of 7 or higher when their PSA level is greater than 10 ng/ml. This threshold may be lowered to 4 ng/ml in the presence of an abnormal DRE. Our findings provide a rationale for recommending a prostate biopsy in elderly patients with an abnormal DRE and/or an elevated serum PSA level. However, at present, it is not clear whether elderly men have better outcomes when they undergo cancer screening.     

以骨转移癌为首发表现的前列腺癌诊治分析

目的:对以骨转移癌为首发表现的前列腺癌患者进行分析,提高对晚期前列腺癌的认识。方法:对32例以骨转移癌为首发表现的前列腺癌患者症状与体征、实验室检查、影像学检查、病理学检查结果等资料进行回顾分析。结果:32例患者表现为骨痛25例(78.13%),凝血功能障碍、贫血10例(31.25%),发热2例(6.25%),伴有泌尿系统症状8例(25%),血清前列腺特异性抗原(PSA):PSA>50ng/ml者15例,PSA>100ng/ml者8例,碱性磷酸酶升高(超过150U/L)13例(72%)。进一步行骨核素扫描见多发、散在、无规律的放射性增高或浓聚灶,骨转移瘤见于腰骶椎体、髋骨占30例（93.75%）,其次为肋骨和胸骨,伴一处或以上的脏器转移占6例(18.75%)。追问病史发现前列腺癌诊断线索8例。经前列腺穿刺活组织检查确诊前列腺癌22例,临床诊断10例。结论:对于临床上出现不明原因骨痛、凝血功能障碍、贫血、发热等症状的老年男性患者,应考虑到前列腺癌伴骨转移可能,应常规查血PSA,据情行骨扫描及骨髓活检等检查。     

健择加顺铂全身化疗治疗激素非依赖性晚期前列腺癌的近期疗效

背景与目的:迄今为止,临床上仍需探索有效的治疗措施治疗激素非依赖性晚期前列腺癌。本研究拟探讨健择加顺铂治疗激素非依赖性晚期前列腺癌的临床效果及不良反应。方法:15例激素非依赖性晚期前列腺癌患者,全部经手术去势及不同程度的抗雄激素药物治疗后病情缓解,之后病情再进展,经全身骨扫描证实12例有多发性骨转移灶,其中并有肝脏、双侧肾上腺和颅内转移各1例,血PSA进行性升高。用健择1000mg/m2加生理盐水(NS)100ml静脉滴注,第1、8天各一秦自科,等.健择加顺铂全身化疗治次;DDP100mg/m2加NS500ml静脉滴注第1天,或者DDP30mg+NS250ml静脉滴注第1～5天;每28天为一个疗程。结果:10例患者的血PSA值降至正常水平(<4ng/L),4例PSA值下降超过50%,1例PSA值变化不明显。化疗前12例有骨转移灶疼痛(按VRS分级Ⅰ级4例、Ⅱ级5例、Ⅲ级3例),化疗后9例疼痛消失,另3例仍有疼痛(Ⅰ级2例、Ⅱ级1例)。多发性颅内转移灶中最大转移瘤直径由化疗前的3.0cm缩小至0.5cm,化疗后面瘫症状消失。肝脏转移瘤由原先的10.2cm缩小至3.3cm。双侧肾上腺多发性转移瘤化疗后总的肿瘤体积缩小1/3以上。随访3～29个月,平均15.2个月,2例患者死亡,中位生存期14.7个月。平均疼痛缓解期为13.6个月。PSA值降低的平均稳定期为12.3个月。本组病例最常见     

Diagnostic Role of Serum Free-to-Total Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Ratio in Prostate Cancer with Serum Total Concentration of PSA below 4 ng/mL

Purpose: To examine the effectiveness of serum free-to-total prostate specific antigen ratio (%fPSA) forthe detection of prostate cancer (PCa) in men with different serum total PSA (tPSA) categories. Materials andMethods: From January 2010 to December 2013, a total of 225 patients with lower urinary tract symptoms(LUTS) underwent tPSA and %fPSA measurements. Histological examination with calculation of Gleasonscore and whole body bone scans were performed in identified cases of PCa. Results: PCa was diagnosed in 44(19.6%) patients and the remaining 181 patients had benign prostate disease. PCa was detected in 5 (23.8%),13 (8.7%) and 26 (47.3%) cases with tPSA level ranges ≤4 ng/ml, 4 to 10 ng/ml and >10 ng/ml, respectively. Theaverage Gleason score was 7.2±0.2. Some 6 (13.6%) out of 44 PCa patients had bone metastases. The sensitivitywas 80% and specificity was 81.3% at the cut-off %fPSA of 15% in PCa patients with a tPSA level below 4 ng/mL. A lower %fPSA was associated with PCa patients with Gleason score ≥7 than those with Gleason score≤6 (11.7±0.98 vs. 16.5±2.25%, P=0.029). No obvious relation of %fPSA to the incidence of bone metastasis wasapparent in this study. Conclusions: The clinical application of %fPSA could help to discriminate PCa frombenign prostate disease in men with a tPSA concentration below 4 ng/mL.     

血清BSP水平联合PSADT检测在前列腺癌骨转移早期诊断中的价值

目的探讨骨代谢生化指标骨唾液酸蛋白 ( bone sialoprotein,BSP ) 联合前列腺特异性抗原倍增时间(prostate-specific antigen doubling time,PSADT)检测在前列腺癌骨转移临床诊断中的意义。方法选择 2009年1月-2011年4月我院收治的前列腺癌患者58例,依据诊断分为转移组（28例）和无骨转移组（30例）,取前列腺良性增生患者60例以及60例健康体检人员分别作为增生组和健康对照组。采用视觉模拟疼痛评分( VAS)评价骨痛程度;采用ELISA法检测血清BSP水平;采用电化学免疫发光技术检测血清f-PSA、t-PSA水平,采用倍增公式PSADT=lg(2) [log(PSA2)-log(PSA1)]计算PSADT;采用ROC曲线评价BSP、PSADT及两者联合检测在前列腺癌骨转移诊断中的意义。结果两组患者BSP水平均高于健康对照组和增生组(P<0.05);骨转移组患者血清BSP水平均明显高于无转移组(P<0.05);Pearson’s分析结果显示：前列腺癌骨转移患者的BSP和VAS骨痛评分呈显著正相关（P<0.05）;ROC曲线显示, BSP 诊断骨转移的敏感度和特异性分别为71.12%和72.8%;PSADT诊断骨转移的敏感度和特异性分别为84.15%和82.96%;BSP联合PSADT在前列腺癌骨转移诊断中的敏感度、特异性、AUC面积分别为91.26%,89.54%,0.932。结论BSP可能是前列腺癌骨转移患者的有效诊断指标;BSP和PSADT联合检测能大大提高前列腺癌骨转移的敏感度和准确性,便于前列腺癌骨转移的早期诊断。     

Detection of prostate cancer using prostate-specific antigen adjusted for the transition zone volume in patients with intermediate serum prostate-specific antigen levels

Background. The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) density of the transition zone (PSATZ) in patients with PSA values of 4.1–10 ng/ml was determined to find whether PSATZ is useful in the detection of prostate cancer. Methods. The PSA, PSA density (PSAD), and PSATZ were determined in 101 patients with intermediate levels of serum PSA. The relationship of these parameters to prostate cancer detection was examined. Results. Patients with prostate cancer had significantly higher PSAD and PSATZ values than those without prostate cancer. In patients with a PSA value of 4.1–10 ng/ml, especially in those without abnormal digital rectal examination findings, PSATZ was superior to PSA as an indicator for positive biopsy when analyzed by receiver operating characteristics curves. In those patients with a cutoff value of 0.3 ng/ml per ml of transition zone volume, PSATZ had a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity of 51%. A cutoff value of 0.3 for PSATZ provided a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 51% in patients without abnormal digital rectal examination findings. Conclusion. The present study demonstrated that PSATZ was superior to PSA as an indicator for positive biopsy, especially in patients with normal digital rectal examination findings. PSATZ was not superior to PSAD in the detection of prostate cancer. Received: November 17, 1999 / Accepted: April 11, 2000     

Clinical usefulness of free PSA in early detection of prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Measurement of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is widely used as an aid in early detection of prostate cancer. Most patients with prostate cancer and a PSA level less than 10.0 ng/ml have early-stage disease. Thus, the detection of prostate cancer in its potentially curable stages requires the use of low PSA cutoffs, inevitably leading to many unnecessary biopsies. The combined use of free PSA and total PSA increases specificity of early detection. To develop risk assessment guidelines and a cutoff value of ratio of free (f) to total (t) PSA with a high predictive value for prostate cancer in men to whom the test would be applied in real life practice, a multicenter early detection trial was initiated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In one week in November 1997, 963 urologists prospectively examined 11,644 men between 45 and 75 years by digital rectal examination (DRE) and prostate-specific antigen with 4.0 ng/ml as cutoff. Data of physical examination were collected by questionnaire. At this time participants were not aware of their PSA values. Suspicious findings were further investigated with sextant biopsy. Prostate volume was determined with transrectal ultrasound (TRUS). Different cutoff levels were correlated to age and detection rate. RESULTS: From1,115 biopsied men, the data of 633 men fulfilled the criteria DRE-negative, TRUS-estimated volume, and PSA 4.0-10.0 ng/ml. In that cohort 91 cancers were detected. Percentage of fPSA was significantly more predictive of cancer than tPSA (p < 0.001). The area under the ROC curve was 0.72 for percent fPSA (% fPSA) and 0.62 for total PSA. The cancer risk nearly doubled using a cutoff of 10% fPSA, the median %PSA level of the detected cancers. A better discrimination of cancer and noncancer especially in the age group above 70 years is possible. Using a cutoff of 16% fPSA increases positive predictive value (PPV) to 25% missing only 4% of cancers. Nearly 45% of the biopsies could be avoided. In the age group 45-69 years, a cutoff of 20% fPSA leads to PPV of 15%, missing 6% of cancers. Unnecessary biopsies could be avoided in 12%. CONCLUSIONS: Using % fPSA in early detection of prostate cancer reduces the number of unnecessary biopsies, especially in men with negative rectal examination in the PSA range of 4.0-10.0 ng/ml. In order to diminish biopsy rate in men 70 years or older a cutoff of 16% fPSA should be used. A cutoff of 20% fPSA in men younger than 70 years is recommended to increase sensitivity in that age group.     

前列腺癌患者血浆D-二聚体水平及其临床意义

目的 探讨前列腺癌患者血浆D-二聚体水平,并分析其与临床病理特征及预后的关系。方法 采用酶联免疫吸附法检测147例确诊前列腺癌患者（前列腺癌组）的血浆D-二聚体水平,随访2年生存情况并分析其与临床病理参数（临床分期、盆腔淋巴结转移、远处脏器转移、前列腺特异抗原PSA水平和Gleason评分）及预后的关系。选取同期的92例良性前列腺疾病患者（良性疾病组）及70例男性健康体检者（健康体检组）作对照。结果 前列腺癌组D-二聚体水平为（0.52±0.04）mg／L,均高于良性疾病组的（0.26±0.08）mg／L和健康体检组的（0.19±0.07）mg／L（P＜0.05）;前列腺癌组不同临床分期、盆腔淋巴结转移、远处脏器转移、PSA水平、Gleason评分及预后的D 二聚体水平差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）,且Ⅲ～Ⅳ期、有盆腔淋巴结转移、有远处脏器转移、PSA水平＞20ng／ml、Gleason评分≥8分和死亡的D-二聚体水平高于对应项（P＜0.05）。结论 前列腺癌患者的D-二聚体水平升高,且与转移、临床分期、PSA水平及Gleason评分有关,可能有助于评估前列腺癌患者的预后。     

Serum Prostate-Specific Antigen as a Predictor of Radiographic Staging Studies in Newly Diagnosed Prostate Cancer

The standard staging evaluation of prostate cancer includes digital rectal examination, measurement of serum tumor markers, radionuclide bone scan, and abdominal pelvic computed tomography (CT) or nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We retrospectively reviewed 300 cases of newly diagnosed, untreated adenocarcinoma of the prostate to evaluate the ability of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) to predict results of staging radiographic studies (bone scan, CT/MRI). The medical records of 300 newly diagnosed, untreated prostate cancer patients were reviewed. The following information was collected on a standard data form: age, clinical stage based on digital rectal examination, method of diagnosis, histological grade, serum PSA level, results of radionuclide bone scan and additional radiographic studies to confirm bone scan results, results of abdominal pelvic CT/MRI, and presence or absence of bone pain. The results of this review were tabulated and analyzed with regard to the ability of serum PSA level to predict positive results of radiographic staging studies. The mean PSA level of the study group was 24.6 ng/ml. Ten patients (3.6%) presented with positive bone scan results with 5 of these having serum PSA levels greater than 20 ng/ml (range 27.6 ng/ml-144 ng/ml, mean 66.3 ng/ml). The 5 remaining patients all had elevated PSA levels ranging between 4.1 and 20.0 ng/ml. No patient with a positive staging bone scan presented with a normal serum PSA. Ten patients (4.0%) presented with a positive abdominallpelvic CT/MRI (adenopathy only; no patients had radiographic evidence of abnormalities of the upper urinary tract). Eight had serum PSA levels greater than 20 ng/ml, ranging from 30.0 to 234 ng/ml. No patient with a positive study presented with a normal serum PSA level. No patient with either positive bone scan or abdominal pelvic CT/MRI presented with bone pain. We conclude that in asymptomatic patients with newly diagnosed, untreated prostate cancer and serum PSA levels of less than 10 ng/ml, a staging radionuclide bone scan may not be necessary. Likewise, in patients with serum PSA levels of less than 20 ng/ml the likelihood of positive findings on abdominallpelvic CT/MRI is extremely low. Abdominallpelvic CT/MRI does not appear necessary in this setting. With over 130,000 cases of newly diagnosed prostate cancer each year in the United States, elimination of staging radiographic studies in the patients outlined above could result in economic savings on the order of 30-80 million dollars per year.     

Comparison of biochemical failure definitions for permanent prostate brachytherapy

PURPOSE: To assess prostate-specific antigen (PSA) failure definitions for patients with Stage T1-T2 prostate cancer treated by permanent prostate brachytherapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A total of 2,693 patients treated with radioisotopic implant as solitary treatment for T1-T2 prostatic adenocarcinoma were studied. All patients had a pretreatment PSA, were treated at least 5 years before analysis, 1988 to 1998, and did not receive hormonal therapy before recurrence. Multiple PSA failure definitions were tested for their ability to predict clinical failure. RESULTS: Definitions which determined failure by a certain increment of PSA rise above the lowest PSA level to date (nadir + x ng/mL) were more sensitive and specific than failure definitions based on PSA doubling time or a certain number of PSA rises. The sensitivity and specificity for the nadir + 2 definition were 72% and 83%, vs. 51% and 81% for 3 PSA rises. The surgical type definitions (PSA exceeding an absolute value) could match this sensitivity and specificity but only when failure was defined as exceeding a PSA level in the 1-3 ng/mL range and only when patients were allowed adequate time to nadir. When failure definitions were compared by time varying covariate regression analysis, nadir + 2 ng/mL retained the best fit. CONCLUSIONS: For patients treated by permanent radioisotopic implant for prostate cancer, the definition nadir + 2 ng/mL provides the best surrogate for failure throughout the entire follow-up period, similar to patients treated by external beam radiotherapy. Therefore, the same PSA failure definition could be used for both modalities. For brachytherapy patients with long-term follow-up, at least 6 years, defining failure as exceeding an absolute PSA level in the 0.5 ng/mL range may be reasonable.     

Cutoff Values of Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System Version 2.1 Score in Men With Prostate-specific Antigen Level 4 to 10 ng/mL: Importance of Lesion Location

IntroductionMultiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) has been shown to have a good performance in predicting cancer among patients with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level of 4 to 10 ng/mL. However, lesion location on mpMRI has never been separately considered.Patients and MethodsPatients with PSA level of 4 to 10 ng/mL were prospectively enrolled and underwent transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy. Patient information was collected, and logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the predictive factors of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa). Patients were grouped by lesion location to determine the Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) v2.1 cutoff value in predicting csPCa.ResultsAmong 222 patients, 121 were diagnosed with PCa and 92 had csPCa. Age, prostate volume, PSA density, location (peripheral zone, csPCa only), and PI-RADS v2.1 score were correlated with PCa and csPCa, and PI-RADS v2.1 score was the best predictor. A PI-RADS v2.1 score of 4 was the best cutoff value for predicting csPCa in patients with lesions only in the transitional zone with respect to the Youden index (0.5896) and negative predictive value (93.10%) with acceptable sensitivity (81.82%) and specificity (77.14%). An adjustment of the cutoff value to 3 for lesions in the peripheral zone would increase the negative predictive value (92.00%) and decrease the false negative rate (2.90%) with an acceptable sensitivity (97.10%) and specificity (30.67%).ConclusionPI-RADS v2.1 score is an effective predictor of csPCa in patients with PSA levels of 4 to 10 ng/mL. Patients with transitional zone or peripheral zone lesions should undergo biopsy if the PI-RADS v2.1 score is ≥ 4 or ≥ 3, respectively.     

Extended use of P504S Positive Primary Circulating Prostate Cell Detection to Determine the Need for Initial Prostate Biopsy in a Prostate Cancer Screening Program in Chile

Background: To determine the frequency of primary circulating prostate cells (CPC) detection accordingto age and serum PSA levels in a cohort of men undergoing screening for prostate cancer and to determinethe diagnostic yield in those men complying with the criteria for prostate biopsy. Materials and Methods: Aprospective study was carried out to analyze all men evaluated in a hospital prostate cancer screening program.Primary CPCs were obtained by differential gel centrifugation and detected using standard immunocytochemistryusing anti-PSA, positive samples undergoing a second process with anti-P504S. A malignant primary CPC wasdefined as PSA+ P504S+, and a test positive if 1 cell/4ml was detected. The frequency of primary CPC detectionwas compared with age and serum PSA levels. Men with a PSA >4.0ng/ml and/or abnormal rectal examinationunderwent 12 core prostate biopsy, and the results were registered as cancer/no-cancer and compared with thepresence/absence of primary CPCs to calculate the diagnostic yield. Results: A total of 1,117 men participated;there was an association of primary CPC detection with increasing age and increasing serum PSA. Some 559 menunderwent initial prostate biopsy of whom 207/559 (37.0%) were positive for primary CPCs and 183/559 (32.0%)had prostate cancer detected. The diagnostic yield of primary CPCs had a sensitivity of 88.5%, a specificity of88.0%, and positive and negative predictive values of 78.3% and 94.9%, respectively. Conclusions: The use ofprimary CPCs for testing is recommended, since its high negative predictive value could be used to avoid prostatebiopsy in men with an elevated PSA and/or abnormal DRE. Men positive for primary CPCs should undergoprostate biopsy. It is a test that could be implemented in the routine immunocytochemical laboratory.     

The role of prostate-specific antigen as part of the diagnostic triad and as a guide when to perform a biopsy.

The authors reviewed the results and relationship of prebiopsy prostate-specific antigen (PSA) assay, digital rectal examination (DRE), and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) in 124 consecutive patients who underwent a prostate biopsy because of abnormal results of either DRE or TRUS. Results of the three tests (PSA, DRE, and TRUS) showed abnormalities in 54%, 75%, and 84.6% of patients, respectively; biopsy results were positive for cancer in 45.2%. Cancer detection rate increased as the PSA value increased from less than or equal to 4 ng/ml (17.5%) to more than 4 ng/ml (68.7%) to more than 20 ng/ml (83.3%), and as the number of positive tests increased (6.9% for one, 32.7% for two, and 82.6% for three). The PSA assay was the most important parameter of the diagnostic triad. These results suggested that regardless of DRE and TRUS findings, PSA less than or equal to 4 ng/ml confers a low prostate cancer risk, PSA more than 4 ng/ml but less than or equal to 10 ng/ml confers an intermediate prostate cancer risk, and PSA more than 10 ng/ml confers a high prostate cancer risk. Regardless of other findings, all patients with a PSA value more than 10 ng/ml require biopsy because of the high likelihood of cancer. All patients with abnormal DRE or TRUS results still require biopsy despite a low index of suspicion of prostate cancer when the PSA value is less than or equal to 4 ng/ml.     

Comparison of the Walz Nomogram and Presence of Secondary Circulating Prostate Cells for Predicting Early Biochemical Failure after Radical Prostatectomy for Prostate Cancer in Chilean Men

Purpose: To determine the utility of secondary circulating prostate cells for predicting early biochemicalfailure after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer and compare the results with the Walz nomagram.Materials and Methods: A single centre, prospective study of men with prostate cancer treated with radicalprostatectomy between 2004 and 2014 was conducted, with registration of clinical-pathological details, total serumPSA pre-surgery, Gleason score, extracapsular extension, positive surgical margins, infiltration of lymph nodes,seminal vesicles and pathological stage. Secondary circulating prostate cells were obtained using differentialgel centrifugation and assessed using standard immunocytochemistry with anti-PSA. Biochemical failure wasdefined as a PSA >0.2ng/ml, predictive values werecalculated using the Walz nomagram and CPC detection.Results: A total of 326 men participated, with a median follow up of 5 years; 64 had biochemical failure withintwo years. Extracapsular extension, positive surgical margins, pathological stage, Gleason score ≥ 8, infiltration ofseminal vesicles and lymph nodes were all associated with higher risk of biochemical failure. The discriminativevalue for the nomogram and circulating prostate cells was high (AUC >0.80), predictive values were higher forcirculating prostate cell detection, with a negative predictive value of 99%, sensitivity of 96% and specificity of75%. Conclusions: The nomagram had good predictive power to identify men with a high risk of biochemicalfailure within two years. The presence of circulating prostate cells had the same predictive power, with a highersensitivity and negative predictive value. The presence of secondary circulating prostate cells identifies a groupof men with a high risk of early biochemical failure. Those negative for secondary CPCs have a very low risk ofearly biochemical failure.