title: Seven-year review of prostate carcinomas diagnosed by TRUS biopsy in a single Malaysian institution.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Analysis of epidemiological as well as survival differences among the multiethnic population of Malaysia with prostate cancer is important.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients confirmed by transrectal-ultrasonographic-guided-biopsy performed from 2002 to 2008 were enrolled and analysed according to ethnicity, age, PSA level, Gleason score, stage of disease and survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 83 patients, there were 38 Malay, 40 Chinese, 3 Indians and 2 others. Median age at diagnosis was 69.9 (range: 59-93), 43 patients (51.8%) being diagnosed before the age of 70. The median PSA level upon diagnosis was 574 ng/ml (range: 1-8632) and the median Gleason score was 7 (range: 2-10). Over half were already in Stage 4 when diagnosed. The most common site of metastasis was the bone. As a result the commonest prescribed treatment was hormonal manipulation. Five patients underwent radical prostatectomy and a further thirteen patients had radical radiotherapy (stage I: 1 patient, stage II: 7 patients and stage III: 5 patients). Ten patients defaulted follow-up. The median disease-specific survival was 21.9 months (range: 1-53).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prostatic carcinoma is a disease of the elderly and it is frequently diagnosed late in Malaysia. Greater efforts should be made to educate Malaysians regarding prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Urology Unit, Department of Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. bobby.goh@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Goh Eng
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Christopher Ho Chee
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Praveen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Singam
authors.forename: Lee Boon
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Cheok
authors.forename: Zulkifli Md
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Zainuddin
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azrif
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen