The association of body mass index and prostate-specific antigen in a population-based study.
BACKGROUND
Recent studies of men with prostate carcinoma suggest that obesity may be associated with more advanced-stage disease and lower overall survival rates. One possible link between body mass index (BMI) and prostate carcinoma prognosis may be disease ascertainment. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is widely used to screen for prostate carcinoma.


METHODS
The authors examined the association between BMI and PSA in a population-based study of 2779 men without prostate carcinoma. Between 2001 and 2004, these men were enrolled in a study sponsored by the San Antonio Center of Biomarkers of Risk, a clinical and epidemiologic center of the Early Detection Research Network of the National Cancer Institute.


RESULTS
The mean PSA value decreased in a linear fashion with an increase in BMI category, from 1.01 ng/mL in normal weight men to 0.69 ng/mL in obese (Class III) men, after adjusting for race/ethnicity and age.


CONCLUSIONS
Lower levels of PSA in obese and overweight men could mask biologically consequential prostate carcinoma.
Baillargeon
Jacques
J
Center for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas 78284-7802, USA. baillargeon@uthscsa.edu
Pollock
Brad H
BH
Kristal
Alan R
AR
Bradshaw
Patrick
P
Hernandez
Javier
J
Basler
Joseph
J
Higgins
Betsy
B
Lynch
Steve
S
Rozanski
Thomas
T
Troyer
Dean
D
Thompson
Ian
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood; D011379:Prognosis; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*
D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen