[The efficacy of PSA density for the early detection of prostate cancer].
OBJECTIVE
We studied on the efficacy of prostate specific antigen density (PSAD) for the detection of prostate cancer among patients with intermediate serum PSA levels.


METHODS
Transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) and transrectal prostate biopsy were performed in 103 patients whose PSA levels were 10 ng/ml or less despite positive digital rectal examination(DRE) or whose PSA levels were intermediate (4 to 10 ng/ml). Prostate volume was determined by TRUS and PSAD was calculated (serum PSA divided by volume of entire prostate volume). The rate of positive biopsy was compared with PSAD (more than 0.15 versus less than 0.15), DRE (positive versus negative) and patient's age (more than 61 versus 60 or less).


RESULTS
The overall cancer detection rate was 43.7% in this study. There was no apparent correlation between patient's age and cancer detection rate when the patient's age was more than 61. DRE itself was not effective for the detection of prostate cancer in the patients whose PSA level was 10 ng/ml or less. Independent of DRE findings, the rate of positive biopsy was double in the patients whose PSAD was more than 0.15, compared with the patients whose PSAD was less than 0.15.


CONCLUSIONS
For the early detection of prostate cancer, PSA density may be useful in the selection of patients for transrectal prostate biopsy.
Kanehara
H
H
Department of Urology, Osaka Medical College.
Ueda
H
H
Katsuoka
Y
Y
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D004526:Efficiency; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen