[Chronic prostatic inflammation: a confounding factor in the diagnosis of prostatic cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the influence of inflammatory foci of the prostate on the efficacy of PSA and transrectal ultrasound in the diagnosis of prostatic cancer.


METHODS
Ultrasound-guided transrectal biopsy was performed in 399 patients. The results of serum PSA, PSA density and ultrasound characteristics were compared with the pathological findings.


RESULTS
The mean prostatic volume was greater in the cases with BPH and chronic inflammatory foci than those with prostatic cancer (p < 0.001). Twenty percent of the patients showed suspicious areas vs 75.1% of the cancers (< 0.001); 66.7% of those with chronic inflammatory foci showed classifications vs 40.6% of the cancers (p < 0.001). The patients with chronic inflammatory foci had PSA values that fell in between those of the BPH and cancer groups (p < 0.05). PSA density also showed intermediate values, although they were not significantly different.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of chronic prostatic inflammatory foci can increase serum PSA levels. To date, it is not possible to identify this group of patients to avoid a biopsy.
Rodríguez Rodríguez
R
R
Unidad de Ecografía Urológica, Madrid, España.
Mayayo Dehesa
T
T
Galbis Sanjuan
F
F
Burgos Revilla
F J
FJ
Jiménez Cidre
M
M
García González
R
R
D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000175:diagnosis*