title: Prostate cancer detection is also relevant in low prostate specific antigen ranges.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To address detection rates and clinical features of the cancers detected with low prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the context of a prostate cancer (PCa) screening program 1097 men attended to a new rescreen round. Sextant prostate biopsy was recommended when PSA > or =3 ng/ml. We also recommended to undergo biopsy in the range 1.0-2.99 ng/ml when free to total (f/t) PSA ratio < or =20%. Detection rate was calculated and clinical features of the cancers detected were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age was 61.1 years. A total of 497 (45.3%) had total PSA <1.0 ng/ml, 439 (40%) between 1.0 and 2.99 ng/ml, and 161 (14.7%) > or =3.0 ng/ml. In the group with PSA between 1.0 and 2.99 ng/ml and f/t PSA ratio < or =20% a total of 249 biopsies were indicated (159 performed, acceptance 63.9%), and 15 cancers detected (detection rate 9.4%). Biopsy was recommended to 72 men with PSA between 3.0 and 3.99 ng/ml, performed in 56 (77.8%), and 12 tumors detected (detection rate 21.4%). All cancers in the study were clinically localized. Only 4 out of 15 cancers with PSA in the range 1.0-2.99 ng/ml (26.7%) fulfilled clinical criteria of insignificant cancer. Two were poorly differentiated and found to have patologically extracapsular disease. None of the 12 patients with PCa and PSA between 3.0 and 3.99 ng/ml had poorly differentiated features and only one complied with criteria of insignificant cancer. One out of seven who underwent RRP was found to have extracapsular disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cancer detection in low PSA ranges is lower but still relevant. The detection of potentially aggresive cancers is still of concern.
authors.affiliation: Urology Department, Hospital Universitario de Getafe, Ctra. Toledo km 12,500 Getafe, 28905 Madrid, Spain. marcos.lujan@terra.es
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lujan
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paez
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miravalles
authors.forename: Inmaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Llanes
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berenguer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen