title: Usefulness of PSA screening in outpatients with bladder cancer: preliminary results.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan. kohei@showa.gumma-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kohei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kurokawa
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okazaki
authors.forename: Kazuto
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shiono
authors.forename: Yoshitastu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukabori
authors.forename: Hidetoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen