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Catheter-free endoscopic laser ablation of the prostate using a 1-size prostatic stent.

PURPOSE: Endoscopic laser ablation of the prostate is a safe alternative to transurethral prostatic resection. Recognized disadvantages include prolonged catheterization, postoperative discomfort and delayed symptomatic improvement. We assessed the role of a 1-size temporary prostatic stent in men undergoing endoscopic laser ablation of the prostate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 55 men a mean of 73 years old with outflow obstruction, including 9 who presented in urinary retention, underwent endoscopic laser ablation of the prostate and temporary stenting. Urinary flow rate, residual urine volume, symptom score and prostate specific antigen were measured preoperatively, and 6 weeks (with the stent in situ), 3 months (after stent removal) and 12 months postoperatively. Duration of hospital stay and complications were also recorded. RESULTS: Of the 55 men 37 (67%) voided immediately with the stent in situ, including 7 of the 9 in retention. At 6 weeks with the stent in place mean maximum urine flow was 17.3 ml. per second (preoperatively 8.7). Dysuria was reported by 3 patients. Stent related complications were rare. One stent migrated early, resulting in urinary retention, while 2 that migrated late were asymptomatic. No patient had acute urinary retention after stent removal. Maximum urinary flow rate measured at 6 weeks with the stent in situ was similar to that 1 year after endoscopic laser ablation of the prostate. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a 1-size, inexpensive plastic prostatic stent enabled catheter-free endoscopic laser ablation of the prostate in 67% of our patients. Early improvements in the urinary flow rate and a lower incidence of dysuria were additional benefits. The result of endoscopic laser ablation of the prostate at 1 year was comparable to that of transurethral prostatic resection.

Aged↗

STEAP: a prostate-specific cell-surface antigen highly expressed in human prostate tumors.

In search of novel genes expressed in metastatic prostate cancer, we subtracted cDNA isolated from benign prostatic hypertrophic tissue from cDNA isolated from a prostate cancer xenograft model that mimics advanced disease. One novel gene that is highly expressed in advanced prostate cancer encodes a 339-amino acid protein with six potential membrane-spanning regions flanked by hydrophilic amino- and carboxyl-terminal domains. This structure suggests a potential function as a channel or transporter protein. This gene, named STEAP for six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of the prostate, is expressed predominantly in human prostate tissue and is up-regulated in multiple cancer cell lines, including prostate, bladder, colon, ovarian, and Ewing sarcoma. Immunohistochemical analysis of clinical specimens demonstrates significant STEAP expression at the cell-cell junctions of the secretory epithelium of prostate and prostate cancer cells. Little to no staining was detected at the plasma membranes of normal, nonprostate human tissues, except for bladder tissue, which expressed low levels of STEAP at the cell membrane. Protein analysis located STEAP at the cell surface of prostate-cancer cell lines. Our results support STEAP as a cell-surface tumor-antigen target for prostate cancer therapy and diagnostic imaging.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular cloning and characterization of STAMP1, a highly prostate-specific six transmembrane protein that is overexpressed in prostate cancer.

We have identified a novel gene, six transmembrane protein of prostate 1 (STAMP1), which is largely specific to prostate for expression and is predicted to code for a 490-amino acid six transmembrane protein. Using a form of STAMP1 labeled with green fluorescent protein in quantitative time-lapse and immunofluorescence confocal microscopy, we show that STAMP1 is localized to the Golgi complex, predominantly to the trans-Golgi network, and to the plasma membrane. STAMP1 also localizes to vesicular tubular structures in the cytosol and colocalizes with the early endosome antigen 1 (EEA1), suggesting that it may be involved in the secretory/endocytic pathways. STAMP1 is highly expressed in the androgen-sensitive, androgen receptor-positive prostate cancer cell line LNCaP, but not in androgen receptor-negative prostate cancer cell lines PC-3 and DU145. Furthermore, STAMP1 expression is significantly lower in the androgen-dependent human prostate xenograft CWR22 compared with the relapsed derivative CWR22R, suggesting that its expression may be deregulated during prostate cancer progression. Consistent with this notion, in situ analysis of human prostate cancer specimens indicated that STAMP1 is expressed exclusively in the epithelial cells of the prostate and its expression is significantly increased in prostate tumors compared with normal glands. Taken together, these data suggest that STAMP1 may have an important role in the normal prostate cell as well as in prostate cancer progression.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PrLZ, a novel prostate-specific and androgen-responsive gene of the TPD52 family, amplified in chromosome 8q21.1 and overexpressed in human prostate cancer.

We report a previously unrecognized prostate-specific protein, PrLZ (prostate leucine zipper), a new member of the Tumor Protein D52 (TPD52) family. The gene for PrLZ was localized at chromosome 8q21.1, a locus most frequently amplified in human prostate cancer. Multiple tissue analyses demonstrated PrLZ predominantly in the prostate gland. Although its expression was enhanced by androgens in androgen receptor-expressing cells, PrLZ was detected in all of the human prostate cancer cell lines, regardless of androgen receptor status. Monoclonal anti-PrLZ antibodies were produced and intense immunohistochemical staining of PrLZ was observed in prostate epithelial cells in intraepithelial neoplasia and prostate cancer, whereas lower-level staining was detected in normal and benign epithelial components of the prostate gland. As the only prostate-specific gene identified in the most frequently amplified genomic region in prostate cancer, PrLZ may be the link between chromosome 8q amplification and malignant transformation of the prostate epithelia.

Androgens↗

Combination therapy of androgen-independent prostate cancer using a prostate restricted replicative adenovirus and a replication-defective adenovirus encoding human endostatin-angiostatin fusion gene.

Although prostate-restricted replicative adenovirus has exhibited significant antitumor efficacy in preclinical studies, it is necessary to develop more potent adenoviruses for prostate cancer gene therapy. We evaluated the synergistic killing effect of prostate-restricted replicative adenovirus and AdEndoAngio, a replication-defective adenovirus expressing the endostatin-angiostatin fusion protein (EndoAngio). When coadministered with AdEndoAngio, prostate-restricted replicative adenovirus significantly elevated EndoAngio expression, suggesting that AdEndoAngio coreplicates with prostate-restricted replicative adenovirus. Conditioned medium from prostate cancer cells infected by prostate-restricted replicative adenovirus plus AdEndoAngio inhibited the growth, tubular network formation, and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells better than conditioned medium from prostate cancer cells infected by AdEndoAngio alone. Furthermore, in vivo animal studies showed that the coadministration of prostate-restricted replicative adenovirus plus AdEndoAngio resulted in the complete regression of seven out of eight treated androgen-independent CWR22rv tumors, with a tumor nodule maintaining a small size for 14 weeks. The residual single tumor exhibited extreme pathologic features together with more endostatin-reactive antibody-labeled tumor cells and fewer CD31-reactive antibody-labeled capillaries than the AdEndoAngio-treated tumors. These results show that combination therapy using prostate-restricted replicative adenovirus together with antiangiogenic therapy has more potent antitumor effects and advantages than single prostate-restricted replicative adenovirus and deserves more extensive investigation.

Adenoviridae↗

Alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonists terazosin and doxazosin induce prostate apoptosis without affecting cell proliferation in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

PURPOSE: Recent evidence indicated that an alpha 1 blocker, doxazosin, induces prostate apoptosis in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). In this study, to determine whether this apoptotic response was mediated by alpha 1 adrenoceptor-dependent mechanism or was specific to doxazosin, we examined the effect of another alpha 1 blocker, terazosin, in addition to doxazosin, on the dynamics of prostate cell growth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cell proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated in BPH patients, an untreated (control) group (n = 31), and men treated with terazosin (n = 42) and doxazosin (n = 61) for the relief of the obstructive symptoms. Terazosin (1 to 10 mg./day) and doxazosin (2 to 8 mg./day) treatment varied from 1 week to 3 years. Ki-67 immunostaining and the TUNEL assay were used to evaluate the proliferative and apoptotic indices, respectively, in both the epithelial and stromal components of prostate (biopsy and prostatectomy) specimens. The smooth muscle cell content of the prostatic stroma was identified on the basis of smooth muscle alpha-actin immunoreactivity. RESULTS: A significant induction of apoptosis was observed in both the prostatic epithelial and stromal cells within the first month of terazosin and doxazosin therapy, as compared with untreated controls (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the marked induction of prostatic stroma apoptosis in response to both alpha 1 adrenoceptor antagonists was paralleled by a significant decrease in the smooth muscle alpha-actin expression. This loss of prostatic smooth muscle cells correlated with morphological stromal regression (as detected by trichrome staining) and BPH symptom improvement. Neither terazosin nor doxazosin therapy resulted in significant changes in prostate cell proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that alpha-blockers as a class may regulate prostate growth by inducing apoptosis in both the epithelial and stromal cells, with little effect on cell proliferation. Apoptosis-mediated prostate stromal regression appears as a molecular mechanism underlying the therapeutic response to alpha 1 blockade in the treatment of BPH.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists↗

A prospective study of transperineal prostatic block for transurethral needle ablation for benign prostatic hyperplasia: the Emory University Experience.

PURPOSE: We evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness and role of transperineal prostate block in providing anesthesia during minimally invasive radio frequency thermal therapy of the prostate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 38 consecutive patients undergoing transurethral needle ablation for symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia were entered in this prospective study. All patients received transperineal prostatic block as the main method of anesthesia. A mixture of equal volumes of 1% lidocaine and 0.25% bupivacaine, each with epinephrine (1:100,000 concentration ratio) was used. Pain control during the instillation of transperineal prostatic block and transurethral needle ablation was assessed using a 10-point linear analog pain scale and questionnaire. RESULTS: Median patient age was 65.5 years (range 47 to 79), with 21% of men in the eighth decade of life. Median American Urological Association symptom score was 25.0 (range 14 to 35), bother score was 20.0 (11 to 28), quality of life score was 4.0 (3 to 6) and peak urinary flow rate was 8.9 cc per second (3.5 to 15.7). Median sonographic prostate volume was 35.0 cc (range 17 to 129). Median volume of anesthetic agent used was 40.0 cc (range 30 to 60) per case (1.1 cc solution per 1 cc prostate tissue). No adverse events were encountered. Median pain score was 3.3 (range 1 to 6) during instillation of transperineal prostatic block and 1.0 (0 to 6) during transurethral needle ablation. Transperineal prostatic block proved highly effective and was a satisfactory method of anesthesia during transurethral needle ablation as judged by postoperative questionnaire. No sedation, narcotic or analgesia was required. All procedures were performed in the outpatient cystoscopy suite or office setting without support of an anesthesia team or conscious sedation monitoring. CONCLUSIONS: Transperineal prostatic block is a safe, convenient, effective and satisfactory method of minimally invasive anesthesia for transurethral needle ablation of the prostate in an outpatient office setting. Elderly patients and those at high surgical risk can be treated safely using this approach. Considerable cost saving is seen secondary to omission of charges related to anesthesia team support, recovery room facility and conscious sedation monitoring.

Aged↗

[Prostatic development, cytodifferentiation and growth: epithelial-mesenchymal interaction and heterogeneity of prostatic cellular activity].

Prostatic growth and hormonal effects on the prostate play a basic role in the pathogenesis of abnormal proliferative diseases (i.e. benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatic carcinoma). During the embryonic period, the prostate is organized through the budding and branching of the epithelial cords into the urogenital sinus mesenchyme. The urogenital sinus mesenchyme has an inductive potential for the prostatic epithelial development and cytodifferentiation under the influence of androgen and an epithelial-mesenchymal interaction. In this interaction, mesenchymal cells are considered as a mediator of hormonal action on epithelial cells. Postnatal prostatic growth is obtained further ductal branching morphogenesis and regulated by the epithelial-mesenchymal interaction, androgen, and epithelial/mesenchymal ratio. Castration-induced degeneration, and androgen-induced regeneration of the glandular architecture of the mouse prostate were investigated by microdissection techniques that permitted precise quantitation of the numbers of the terminal ductal tips and ductal branch-points. During the first 15 days after birth, active branching morphogenesis occurred as a result of focally high levels of DNA synthesis confined almost exclusively to the distal tips of the branching ducts. Following castration about 35% of the ductal tips and branch-points were lost in distal regions (usually near the capsule). By contrast, in more proximal regions of the prostate the ducts survived in an atrophic condition. The lost distal ductal morphology completely regenerated following administration of testosterone propionate (TP) to the castrated males. Whole-mount autoradiography demonstrated that labelling intensity reached a maximum on the third day of TP treatment in distal ductal areas. Recognition of the mesenchymal-epithelial interaction and heterogeneities in the morphogenesis, androgen dependency, and DNA synthetic activity within the prostatic architecture is fundamental to understanding the mechanism of androgenic regulation of normal or abnormal prostatic growth and development.

Androgens↗

Correlation of increased apoptosis and proliferation with development of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) in ventral prostate of the Noble rat.

BACKGROUND: Imbalance between cell proliferation and cell apoptosis has been considered a key factor in carcinogenesis. Prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) is the most likely precancereous lesion and represents the major target for chemoprevention of prostate cancer. The proliferative and apoptotic activities involved in the development of PIN remain to be elucidated. METHODS: Ventral prostates were removed from Noble rats that were treated with a combination of testosterone (T) and estradiol (E(2)) for certain periods of time, and processed for histopathological grading. To evaluate the relationship between cell proliferation and apoptosis, immunohistochemistry for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Ki-67, and in situ DNA nick labeling (TUNEL) for identifying apoptotic cells, were performed on paraffin sections from prostate samples with PIN lesions. The results were correlated with expression patterns of Bcl-2 and Bax, two proteins related to cell survival and cell apoptosis. RESULTS: Pathologically, low-grade PIN (LGPIN) and high-grade PIN (HGPIN) were observed in ducts or alveoli after 3 and 5 months of T + E(2) treatment, respectively. Quantitative evaluation of Ki-67 showed an increased proliferative activity in HGPIN. In contrast to normal prostatic ducts and alveoli, which showed no positive staining for Ki-67 in the nuclei of luminal cells, 25% Ki-67-positive cells were detected in luminal cells of HGPIN. Only 7.5% Ki-67-positive cells were found belonging to the basal cell type. The Ki-67 index showed a higher growth rate from normal to HGPIN. The PCNA results showed a similar expression pattern to that of Ki-67 in normal prostate, LGPIN, and HGPIN. Apoptotic index (number of apoptotic cells/total number of cell counted) was significantly higher (P = 0.028) in HGPIN (3.23%) than in control prostate (1.19%). In contrast to control prostate, which showed no definite expression of Bcl-2, an intense positive expression of Bcl-2 in HGPIN was observed. Positive expression of Bax protein was observed in glandular epithelial cells of normal control prostate and HGPIN as well. CONCLUSIONS: Overexpression of Bcl-2 and higher Ki-67 or PCNA indices in HGPIN suggest that abnormal growth of premalignant lesions might result from an increase in cell proliferation. An increased apoptotic rate in HGPIN further implicates that active apoptosis may accelerate cell turnover in the development of premalignant lesions of the prostate.

Animals↗

Impact of age, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and cancer on prostate-specific antigen level.

BACKGROUND: The distribution of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values for men with or without prostate carcinoma are confounded because of verification bias. Correcting for verification bias, the means and variances of PSA values were estimated in specific clinical scenarios. METHODS: Existing receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, adjusted for the presence of verification bias in a screening population, were used to estimate the mean and variance of PSA values for men with or without prostate carcinoma, stratified by age and the presence or absence of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Men with a suspicious digital rectal exam (nodular) were excluded from analysis. RESULTS: Among men with cancer and the absence of benign prostatic hyperplasia, mean PSA values were 2.05 ng/mL and 2.66 ng/mL for younger (<60 yr) and older (> or =60 yrs) men, respectively. These estimates were 2.56 ng/mL and 3.90 ng/mL in the presence of benign prostatic hyperplasia for younger and older men, respectively. For men without prostate carcinoma, these values were 0.78 ng/mL and 1.23 ng/mL for younger and older men, respectively, among those without benign prostatic hyperplasia, and 0.97 ng/mL and 1.75 ng/mL for younger and older men, respectively, among those with benign prostatic hyperplasia. CONCLUSIONS: Accurate estimates of the mean and variance of PSA values for men with or without cancer may provide PSA thresholds for biopsy that are specific for age and prostate size as assessed by digital rectal exam. Therefore, the current threshold of 4.0 ng/mL should not be applied indiscriminately.

Age Factors↗

CYP17 polymorphisms in relation to risks of prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia: a population-based study in China.

Because androgens likely play a key role in prostate growth and prostate cancer development, variants of genes involved in androgen biosynthesis may be related to prostate cancer risk. The enzyme P450c17alpha, encoded by the CYP17 gene, catalyzes the conversion of progesterone and pregnenolone into precursors of potent androgens. In the 5' promoter region of the CYP17 gene, a T (A1 allele) to C substitution (A2 allele) has been hypothesized to increase CYP17 gene expression, resulting in higher levels of androgens. To investigate a possible role of CYP17 in prostate diseases, we evaluated the risk of prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in relation to variation in CYP17 genotype in a population-based case-control study conducted in Shanghai, China. The study included 174 prostate cancer cases, 182 BPH cases and 274 population controls. We observed no statistically significant overall associations of CYP17 genotypes with prostate cancer risk, although associations of the A1/A1 (odds ratio (OR) =1.42, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.83-2.48) and A1/A2 (OR 1.41, 95% CI 0.91-2.17) genotypes with prostate cancer were suggested. A similar association of the A1/A1 genotype with BPH was suggested. We found no associations of CYP17 genotypes with serum sex hormone levels or other biomarkers after correction for multiple comparisons. Large population-based studies are needed to clarify whether CYP17 plays a role in prostate cancer risk and whether genotype effects vary in different racial/ethnic and other subgroups.

Aged↗

Association of prostate cancer family history with histopathological and clinical characteristics of prostate tumors.

Genetic factors may be used not only to assess risk of prostate cancer development but also to evaluate prostate cancer outcomes including clinical prognosis, treatment methods, and treatment response. To assess the role of family history on prostate cancer outcomes, we evaluated tumor characteristics, diagnostic precursors and biochemical (prostate specific antigen) relapse-free survival in men with and without a family history of prostate cancer. A total of 684 prostate cancer cases unselected for family history were identified from an ongoing hospital based prostate cancer case-control study between 1995 and 2002. Self-reported family history was grouped within the following categories: none, any, moderate (one affected first or second degree relative) and high (2 or more affected first or second degree relatives). We further considered groups defined by early (before age 60) and late (after age 60) age at diagnosis. Overall, tumor stage was not significantly associated with any (odds ratio [OR] = 1.43 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.00-2.05) or moderate (OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.0-2.19) family histories. Men diagnosed before age 60, however, had higher tumor stages if they had any (OR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.28-3.75) or moderate (OR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.2-3.9) family histories. Men diagnosed after age 60 with any family history were significantly more likely to experience biochemical (PSA) failure (Hazard ratio [HR] = 2.60, 95%CI = 1.08-6.25). Men with any and moderate family histories were at significantly increased risk of biochemical failure (HR = 2.49, 95%CI = 1.25-4.95 and HR = 2.46, 95% CI = 1.17-5.16, respectively). Moderate family history increased probability of seminal vesicle invasion (OR = 2.14, 95%CI = 1.06-4.34). Our results suggest that a family history of prostate cancer may be associated with predictors of clinical outcome in prostate cancer cases unselected for a family history of prostate cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Receptors for luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone, somatostatin, prolactin, and epidermal growth factor in rat and human prostate cancers and in benign prostate hyperplasia.

Using sensitive multipoint micromethods, we estimated membrane receptors for [D-Trp6]-luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone ([ D-Trp6]-LH-RH), somatostatin (SS-14), human prolactin (hPRL), and epidermal growth factor (EGF) in experimental Dunning rat prostate cancers and in samples of normal human prostate, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and human prostate cancer (PC) obtained from biopsy, after prostatectomy, or at autopsy. In the Dunning R-3327 rat prostate adenocarcinoma specimens, the receptors were characterized in untreated animals and following in vivo treatment with microcapsules of the agonist [D-Trp6]-LH-RH and the somatostatin analog RC-160. Two populations of binding sites were found for [D-Trp6]-LH-RH, one with high affinity and low capacity and another with low affinity and high capacity. Treatment with [D-Trp6]-LH-RH and RC-160 alone or with the combination of these analogs increased the binding capacity (Bmax) of the low-affinity binding sites for [D-Trp6]-LH-RH and decreased Bmax for hPRL and EGF. Therapy with [D-Trp6]-LH-RH also reduced Bmax of SS-14 binding and dissociation binding constant of high-affinity binding sites for [D-Trp6]-LH-RH, whereas administration of RC-160 or the combination treatment with both analogs increased Bmax of SS-14 binding. These findings are compatible with the view that analogs of LH-RH and SS-14 might exert some direct inhibitory effects on the Dunning prostate cancer. Among 13 human BPH samples examined, only one had receptors for [D-Trp6]-LH-RH, and seven specimens exhibited binding for prolactin. [D-Trp6]-LH-RH receptors were found in all seven samples of human PC but not in any of the eight specimens of normal human prostate. All samples of normal human prostate, BPH, and human PC exhibited binding sites for EGF but not for SS-14. Our findings on the membrane receptors in the human and rat prostate cancers raise the intriguing possibility that LH-RH, acting as a growth factor, along with EGF and prolactin, might be involved in complex interactions that contribute to the promotion of prostate cancer in man.

Adenocarcinoma↗

The potential use of prostatic secretory protein of 94 amino acid residues (PSP94) as a serum marker for prostatic tumor.

The serum concentrations of prostatic secretory protein of 94 amino acid residues (PSP94) as well as those of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) were determined in 40 patients with established prostatic carcinoma, prior to transurethral resection of the prostate. In a comparison with a control group of healthy men (n = 40) and a group of patients with histologically established benign prostatic hyperplasia (n = 40) no significant differences in PSP94 serum concentrations between the groups were observed. Similarly, correlations of PSP94 serum concentrations with prostatic carcinoma stages or grades were not detected. In contrast, and as expected, PSA behaved as a prostate tumor marker of known sensitivity and specificity. A correlation of PSP94 and PSA concentrations in sera of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and/or prostatic carcinoma could not be verified. PSP94 apparently does not fulfill the criteria of a serum marker for monitoring adenomas and/or carcinomas of the prostate.

Adult↗

Limited usefulness of the free-to-total prostate-specific antigen ratio for the diagnosis and staging of prostate cancer in Japanese men.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of measuring the free-to-total (f/t) prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ratio for the differentiation of prostate cancer from benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and for the staging of prostate cancer in Japanese men. METHODS: Before treatment, tPSA and fPSA were measured in 147 patients with prostate cancer and in 253 with BPH, using immunofluorometric techniques. Furthermore, the f/t PSA ratio and the tPSA density of the whole prostate (PSAD) were calculated. RESULTS: The tPSA and PSAD levels in patients with prostate cancer paralleled the clinical stage, and were significantly higher than the levels in patients with BPH, while the f/t PSA ratio was not associated with clinical stage, despite the significantly lower values in prostate cancer patients than in BPH patients. Furthermore, the tPSA and PSAD values, but not the f/t PSA ratio, were significantly different between patients with pathologically extraprostatic disease and those with organ-confined disease. Calculation of the specificity of each assay within the range of 80%-95% sensitivity showed that tPSA and PSAD provided better specificities than the f/t PSA ratio. However, there was no significant difference in specificities among these three assays. In prostate cancer and BPH patients with PSA values of 4.1-10 ng/ml, the specificities of tPSA and PSAD were also superior to that of the f/t PSA ratio. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that measurement of the f/t PSA ratio does not provide any significant additional information for the diagnosis and staging of prostate cancer in Japanese men when tPSA and PSAD values are available.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗

Validity of digital rectal examination and serum prostate specific antigen in the estimation of prostate volume in community-based men aged 50 to 78 years: the Krimpen Study.

BACKGROUND: In men with symptoms suggestive of BPH, an accurate estimation of the degree of prostate volume enlargement is important for the choice of treatment, and for prediction of treatment effect, the risk of acute urinary retention and the need for surgery. In a community-based population of men, the performance of digital rectal examination (DRE) and serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) is compared to planimetric transrectal ultrasonometry (planimetric TRUS) of the prostate. In this way we search for a practical, reliable, and reproducible alternative to TRUS that can be applied in a primary care setting and in the initial evaluation of men with lower urinary tract symptoms. METHODS: Data were collected from 1688 men aged 50 to 78 years recruited in a population-based study. Measurements included serum PSA, DRE, and planimetric TRUS for the estimation of prostate volume. RESULTS: The AUC values of the receiver-operating curves (ROC) curves for serum PSA as a method for the discrimination of prostate volumes above or below 30, 40 and 50 cc are 0.79, 0.86 and 0.92, respectively. DRE has limited value in the estimation of prostate volume and is only good in identifying very large prostates (>50 cc). CONCLUSIONS: In the general male population serum PSA performs reasonably well compared with planimetric TRUS, and better than DRE, in estimating whether prostate volume is greater or smaller than 30, 40 or 50 cc. Serum PSA is an acceptable alternative method to estimate the degree of prostatic enlargement in clinical settings where TRUS is not available and when prostate cancer has been excluded.

Aged↗

Serum BPSA outperforms both total PSA and free PSA as a predictor of prostatic enlargement in men without prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the serum concentration of BPSA, a distinct form of free prostate-specific antigen (PSA) enriched in the nodular transition zone (TZ) tissue of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), can predict TZ volume and diagnose BPH-associated prostatic enlargement in patients without prostate cancer. METHODS: We studied 91 consecutive patients without prostate cancer who underwent a 10-core or greater biopsy of the prostate. The associations between prostate volume, age, International Prostate Symptom Score, and serum concentrations of PSA, free PSA, and BPSA were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve and linear and binary logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: BPSA and free PSA showed stronger correlations with both age (BPSA = 0.38, free PSA = 0.40, PSA = 0.24) and TZ volume (BPSA = 0.67, free PSA = 0.64, PSA = 0.55) than did PSA. The percent free PSA had no statistically significant correlation with TZ volume (P = 0.08). Subtraction of BPSA from free PSA reduced its correlation with TZ volume to below that of PSA (from 0.64 to 0.48). Linear regression analyses showed that, unlike PSA, both BPSA and free PSA displayed an age-independent relationship to TZ volume. The receiver operating characteristic curve (for TZ greater than 30 cm3) and binary logistic regression analyses showed that BPSA (area under the curve = 0.844) outperformed both free PSA (area under the curve = 0.799) and PSA (area under the curve = 0.749) in its ability to predict clinically significant TZ enlargement. CONCLUSIONS: In patients without prostate cancer, the serum concentration of BPSA displayed an age-independent, log-linear relationship to TZ volume and was a better predictor of prostatic enlargement than either PSA or free PSA. BPSA may also predict clinical parameters of BPH and is under evaluation as a marker of BPH progression and response to therapy.

Adult↗

Clinical usefulness of serum prostate specific antigen for the detection of prostate cancer is preserved in men receiving the dual 5alpha-reductase inhibitor dutasteride.

PURPOSE: We determined whether the decrease in serum PSA seen with 5alpha-reductase inhibitors affects the clinical usefulness of PSA for prostate cancer screening using data from 2 dutasteride benign prostatic hyperplasia studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 2,802 men 50 years or older with a clinical diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia, no history of prostate cancer, PSA 1.5 to 10 ng/ml, prostate volume 30 cc or greater, an American Urological Association symptom score of 12 or greater and peak urinary flow rate 15 ml per second or less were randomized to 0.5 mg dutasteride daily or matching placebo for 24 months. Increases in PSA from baseline and the maximum increase from nadir to month 24 were compared between the groups and analyzed by prostate cancer status, as determined by PSA driven biopsy and an advised cutoff of more than 4 ng/ml after doubling to correct for dutasteride treatment with sensitivity and specificity calculated for each. RESULTS: In placebo treated men without prostate cancer there was an 8.3% median increase in PSA at month 24 compared with -59.5% in those who received dutasteride, using doubled values to correct for dutasteride treatment. In those with prostate cancer these changes were 23.8% and -37.2%, respectively. Using the upper PSA limit of 4 ng/ml sensitivity for prostate cancer in men receiving dutasteride vs placebo was 0.737 vs 0.804, while specificity was 0.671 vs 0.578. Using a PSA increase from nadir of 0.8 ng/ml the sensitivity of dutasteride was 0.548 and its specificity was 0.795. CONCLUSIONS: A doubling factor is effective for maintaining the sensitivity and specificity of PSA for prostate cancer detection in men on dutasteride. Increases in serum PSA in men receiving dutasteride should be considered suspicious and serial PSA measurements should be used to evaluate changes from nadir.

Aged↗