Usefulness of PSA screening in outpatients with bladder cancer: preliminary results.
BACKGROUND
We performed prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening and evaluated its usefulness in outpatients with bladder cancer who may have an elevated risk for prostate cancer.


METHODS
Sixty-one new or followed-up outpatients with bladder cancer were examined between September 1999 and December 2000 in the Department of Urology, Gunma University Hospital, Japan. PSA was measured after informed consent was obtained, and patients in whom the PSA level was 4.1 ng/mL or higher were selected for thorough examination. In the examination, one examiner performed DRE (digital rectal examination) and, based on DRE and TRUS (transrectal ultrasonography) findings, determined whether prostate biopsy was indicated.


RESULTS
The average age of the 61 cases was 69.1 +/- 8.6 years, and the average PSA level was 3.5 +/- 5.8 ng/mL. The PSA level was 4.1 ng/mL or higher in 11 (18.0%) patients, nine of whom underwent six-sextant biopsy under TRUS guidance. Of these nine cases, four (6.6%) were diagnosed as having prostate cancer. The Gleason score was 7 in three cases and 9 in one case. The clinical stage was T2N0M0 in three cases and T3N0M0 in one case.


CONCLUSIONS
On PSA screening in patients with bladder cancer and patients with a history of transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TUR-BT), prostate cancer was found in 6.6%. This rate is higher than in the general population. These cancers were classified into intermediate to high-risk groups, and the prognosis of prostate cancers could be more important than those of the bladder cancers in two cases (50%). We conclude that PSA screening for inpatients with bladder cancer may be useful.
Kurokawa
Kohei
K
Department of Urology, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan. kohei@showa.gumma-u.ac.jp
Suzuki
Kazuhiro
K
Okazaki
Hiroshi
H
Ito
Kazuto
K
Shiono
Akihiko
A
Fukabori
Yoshitastu
Y
Yamanaka
Hidetoshi
H
D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D012307:Risk Factors; D020728:Transurethral Resection of Prostate; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology
D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen