title: The effects of cigarette smoking on prostate-specific antigen in two different age groups.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigate the effects of cigarette smoking on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) using 2 different age groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out between January 2007 and October 2011 with men; the 2 sets of age groups were: 25 to 35 years and 50 to 70 years old. The participants were divided into 4 groups. Of the 25 to 35 age range, smokers were Group 1, and non-smokers were Group 2; of the 50 to 70 age range, smokers were Group 3 and non-smokers Group 4. In addition, for the 50 to 70 age group, the International Prostate Symptom Score was completed, digital rectal examination was performed, and transabdominal prostate volume was measured. We wanted to see whether prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels showed a difference between the 2 age groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 114 patients in Group 1, 82 in Group 2, 90 in Group 3, and 102 in Group 4. The mean PSA level was 0.7 ± 0.28 ng/mL for Group 1, and 0.6 ± 0.27 ng/mL for Group 2 (p = 0.27), and there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups. The mean PSA was 2.5 ± 1.8 ng/mL for Group 3, and 2.1 ± 2.0 ng/mL (p = 0.59) for Group 4, and there was no statistically significant difference between the these 2 age groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cigarette smoking effects various hormone levels. Different from previous studies, the PSA level was higher in smokers compared to nonsmokers, although it was not statistically significant. Our study is limited by the small numbers in our study groups and the lack of PSA velocity data.
authors.affiliation: Tepecik Teaching and Research Hospital Urology Department, Yenisehir, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gokhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koc
authors.forename: Korhan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akgul
authors.forename: Yuksel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dirik
authors.forename: Sitki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Un