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Improved prostate cancer detection using systematic 14-core biopsy for large prostate glands with normal digital rectal examination findings.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate in a retrospective study the improvements in prostate cancer detection rates for patients with a prostate gland larger than 30 cm3 using a systematic 14-core biopsy strategy compared with a systematic 8-core biopsy. METHODS: We retrospectively assessed 273 patients with screened prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels of 3.0 to 50.0 ng/mL. A total of 204 patients with a prostate volume of 30 cm3 or larger and with normal digital rectal examination findings were enrolled in this study. Of the 204 patients, 110 underwent 8-core biopsy and 94 underwent 14-core biopsy of the prostate. We compared the cancer detection rates of prostate biopsy between the 8 and 14-core groups using total PSA, free/total PSA ratio, PSA density, and PSA density adjusted by transition zone volume. We also analyzed the Gleason grade of the biopsy core and the radical prostatectomy specimens. RESULTS: Of the 204 patients, 40 (19.5%) were identified as having prostate adenocarcinoma. The cancer detection rate for the 8 and 14-core groups was 14.5% (16 of 110 patients) and 24.5% (23 of 94 patients), respectively. The 14-core biopsy had a statistically significant greater cancer detection rate than did the 8-core group in patients with a prostate volume of 30 to 40 cm3 (36.7% versus 11.8%, respectively, P<0.05) and a PSA density adjusted by transition zone volume of 0.38 ng/mL/cm3 or greater (47.8% versus 20.0%, respectively, P <0.05). The difference in tumor grade between the 8 and 14-core biopsy samples was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The 14-core prostate needle biopsy is a recommended method for detecting prostate cancer in a large-volume prostate gland without increasing the risk of complications.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Social ecological predictors of prostate-specific antigen blood test and digital rectal examination in black American men.

BACKGROUND: Black American men continue to suffer disproportionately from epidemically higher rates of prostate cancer. We hypothesize that complex reasons for persistently higher death rates of prostate cancer in this group are steeped in social factors associated with health access. METHODS: We utilized data from the It's All About U prostate cancer prevention study among black men to investigate: 1) what social ecological factors were predictive of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and digital rectal examinations (DRE); 2) if black men were aware of prostate cancer screening and, if screening was available, would they take the PSA and DRE? Quantitative cross-sectional data from a cohort of 276 black men with no diagnosis of prostate cancer were analyzed to identify characteristics, beliefs, practices and attitudes of this group toward prostate cancer screening. We created a social ecological model to examine which social factors (i.e., environmental, personal, person/environment interplay, black culture and institutional policy) were predictive of PSA and DRE, PSA only and DRE only. To reduce data and identify data patterns, factor analyses (tested for reliability by calculating Cronbach alpha scores) were performed. Variables were standardized with Z scores and analyzed with predictive analytic software technology (SPSS, version 12). A multivariate binary logistic regression was conducted to identify predictors of PSA and DRE. RESULTS: A significant predictor of both PSA and DRE was the physician's direct prostate cancer communication message (P<0.010). Significant correlations exist in PSA and DRE outcomes with a physician's engaging communication style (P<0.012), encouragement to screen (P<0.001) and sharing prostate cancer information (P<0.001); as was men understanding the serious risk of prostate cancer (P<0.001), culture (P<0.004), positive interaction with healthcare staff, significant other(s) and providers (P<0.001), and environmental dimensions (P<0.006). A profile of four major self-reported barriers to screening were identified (i.e., fear, internal locus of health, comfort level and external locus of health). Lastly, men who utilized health systems with a prostate cancer screening policy had high percentages of PSA and DRE (63.3%), PSA only (70.9%) and DRE only (81.7%). CONCLUSION: A physician's aggressive, positive engagement in shared decision-making, tailored social influences promoting prostate cancer prevention among black men, as well as institutional screening policy, has the potential to increase early detection and reduce morbidity among this group.

Black or African American↗

Early detection of prostate cancer in Germany: a study using digital rectal examination and 4.0 ng/ml prostate-specific antigen as cutoff.

OBJECTIVE: While international screening studies for prostate cancer are by now almost reaching the estimated number of recruitments mandatory for the necessary power to investigate an effect on mortality of prostate cancer, no statistical figures on the detection of prostate cancer in Germany - apart from historical data before the use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) are available. In order to generate a database and to investigate the diagnostic efficacy of the primarily practice-based urological care system, a case finding study designed as a nationwide longitudinal early detection trial was initiated. METHODS: In one week in November 1997, 963 urologists prospectively examined 11,644 men between 45 and 75 years of age by digital rectal examination (DRE) and PSA with 4.0 ng/ml as cutoff. Data of family history and physical examination were collected by questionnaire. At this time participants were not aware of their PSA value. PSA was determined in the study center. Indication for sextant biopsy was a PSA value above 4.0 ng/ml or a suspicious lesion on DRE. Any indicated biopsy not performed had to be clarified. In a second questionnaire results of prostate biopsy, treatment and tumor status were documented. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population was 62 years (median 62). The PSA median was 1.4 ng/ml with 82.8% presenting with < 4.0 ng/ml, 12.8% with 4-10 ng/ml and 4.4% with >10 ng/ml. From 1,115 men (47.7%) biopsied, 262 cancers were detected resulting in a detection rate of 23.5%. While 399 men refused biopsy, further investigation was not recommended in 387 men by their urologist, because prostatitis or benign hyperplasia was thought to be the cause for elevated PSA. From the 143 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy, 93 (65%) cancers were organ confined. T(1c) cancers with elevated PSA > 10 ng/ml could be treated with curative intent in 44% only. The positive predictive value (PPV) was estimated to be 16% for DRE alone (14/90), 17% for PSA alone (143/819) and 51% for the combination of both (105/206). In that cohort, use of age-adjusted PSA values and PSA density increased the PPV of PSA testing nonsignificantly. CONCLUSIONS: Significant higher PPV indicated that utilizing a combination of both DRE and PSA is most effective in the early detection of prostate cancer. Unnecessary biopsies can be avoided using either age-adjusted PSA value or PSA density, but the PPV is not significantly changed and potentially curable cancer is missed in up to 25%. Given the substantial variability of the diagnostic approach despite the study design, uniform guidelines are necessary to ensure countrywide sufficient screening.

Aged↗

Usefulness of digital rectal examination, serum prostate-specific antigen, transrectal ultrasonography and systematic prostate biopsy for the detection of organ-confined prostate cancer.

The detection rate of organ-confined prostate cancer by digital rectal examination (DRE), serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) of the prostate, as well as the value of a directed, guided transrectal core biopsy for the prostate (TRUS-guided biopsy) combined with systematic biopsy, were evaluated. The subjects were 171 patients with urinary symptoms suggestive of prostatic disease excluding those with clinical stage C and D prostate cancer. Twenty-five patients (14.6%) had prostate cancer, 127 (74.2%) had benign prostate hypertrophy, four (2.3%) had prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, eleven (6.4%) had inflammation, and four (2.3%) had normal prostate tissue. The incidence of detection of hypoechoic findings by TRUS in the patients in whom nodules were detected by DRE or who had elevated serum PSA was higher than that in patients with negative diagnostic findings. In 22 of the 25 patients with prostate cancer, the cancer was detected by recognition of a hypoechoic area on TRUS. In 10 of these 22 patients, prostate cancer was also detected by systematic biopsy in isoechoic areas. Prostate cancer was detected by systematic biopsy in three patients without hypoechoic findings. The positive predictive value for patients with abnormal findings on all three tests was 64.3%, which is significantly higher than that for patients with any other combination of findings (p < 0.05). Our results indicate that the combination of DRE, serum PSA and TRUS is useful for the detection of organ-confined prostate cancer, and that TRUS and TRUS-guided prostate biopsy combined with systematic biopsy should be performed in patients with abnormal findings for both DRE and PSA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

Comparison between digital rectal examination, prostate-specific antigen and transrectal ultrasound in symptomatic patients. Results on 141 cases.

In this study we proposed to verify sensitivity and specificity of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), digital rectal examination (DRE) and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) in patients who referred at our institution for prostatic complaints. 141 patients, ages ranging between 55 and 86 years (mean 67.5), underwent DRE, blood PSA, TRUS and ultrasonically guided biopsy of the prostate. The comparison of the results obtained with the different diagnostic tools allowed us to draw a diagnostic algorithm for prostate cancer in symptomatic patients.

Aged↗

Stratification of prostate-specific antigen level and results of transrectal ultrasonography and digital rectal examination as predictors of positive prostate biopsy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine which of several variables--age, serum level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), findings of transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) and findings of digital rectal examination (DRE)--are the best predictors of positive prostate biopsy results. SETTING: An urban, university-affiliated tertiary care hospital. PATIENTS: a cohort of 1330 consecutive men referred to the diagnostic imaging department for TRUS and TRUS-guided prostate biopsy. Each patient was referred after examination by a urologist because of clinical suspicion of prostate cancer. METHODS: All of the men had undergone prior determination of serum level of PSA. Repeat DRE was performed at the time of imaging. The variables age, PSA level, TRUS findings and DRE findings were tested aline and in combination as predictors of positive biopsy results by means of logistic regression analysis. A summary of percentage risk for positive biopsy results was constructed for each combination of statistically significant variables, stratified for age. RESULTS: Cancer was detected in 541 men (40.7%). A strong correlation was observed between serum PSA level and the likelihood of positive biopsy result (p < 0.001). Of 402 men with normal age-specific PSA, 109 (27.1%) had positive biopsy results. Of 403 men with PSA of 10 ng/mL or more, 233 (57.8%) had cancer. The level of serum PSA was also related to the number of prostate sextants harbouring cancer (p < 0.001). TRUS findings at the time of biopsy were a strong predictor of cancer of the PSA level was abnormal (p < 0.001). DRE results alone did not correlate with positive biopsy results, regardless of age, PSA level of TRUS findings. CONCLUSIONS: Men in whom there is a clinical concern for prostate cancer should undergo prostate biopsy if there is any elevation of age-specific PSA, particularly if the findings of TRUS are also abnormal. Because DRE alone was not predictive of biopsy outcome, algorithms for prostate cancer detection that rely on abnormal DRE results to identify men who should undergo biopsy will miss a significant number of cancers.

Aged↗

Interexaminer reliability and validity of a three-dimensional model to assess prostate volume by digital rectal examination.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the interexaminer reliability and accuracy compared with transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) of a three-dimensional (3D) model and other scales to improve the estimation of prostate volume by digital rectal examination (DRE). METHODS: Volunteers from a urology clinic (n = 121) were examined independently by three examiners with different levels of experience in randomized order. During DRE, the examiners estimated the prostate size in increments of 5 g, using various rating scales and a 3D sizing model, without access to the findings of the other investigators. TRUS was then performed by each examiner. RESULTS: The 121 volunteers were 39 to 82 years old, with a mean +/- SD total TRUS prostate size of 35.9 +/- 27.2 g. The DRE size estimates ranged from 15 to 100 g across all examiners and patients. The interexaminer reliability across examiners for the best DRE prostate size estimates (in grams) was 0.78 (95% confidence interval 0.70 to 0.84), and the correlation coefficients (r(s)) with the TRUS volume ranged from 0.61 to 0.72 for the three examiners. A 3D model showed good reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.86, 95% confidence interval 0.75 to 0.93), and correlated well with the TRUS volume (r(s) = 0.67 to 0.75). Other scales showed fair reliability (0.58 to 0.68) and correlated with the TRUS measurements (0.57 to 0.67). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve to identify prostate volumes greater than 40 g ranged from 0.78 to 0.90 for DRE estimates (in grams) and 0.69 to 0.89 for the 3D model. CONCLUSIONS: DRE size estimates and TRUS volume were moderately to highly correlated in men without prostate cancer. A 3D sizing model showed comparable reliability and correlation with TRUS. Although the DRE estimates generally tend to underestimate the TRUS-measured prostate volume, these tools may be useful in identifying men with enlarged prostate glands.

Adult↗

Age, prostate-specific antigen, and digital rectal examination as determinants of the probability of having prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVES: The decision to perform prostate biopsy has traditionally been based on an abnormal prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level or abnormal digital rectal examination (DRE) findings. For example, a 60-year-old man with a benign DRE and PSA level of 4.1 ng/mL would be counseled for biopsy, and the same man with a PSA level of 3.9 ng/mL might be counseled against biopsy. However, the difference in these PSA levels and in the likelihood of these two men having prostate cancer is not significant. We constructed a probability nomogram for the likelihood of detecting prostate cancer, thus aiding in the decision of whether to perform a prostate biopsy. METHODS: Using multivariate logistic regression analysis and data from 2054 men (mean age 64 years) participating in the Tyrol Screening Project between January 9, 1993 and January 9, 1997, patient age, PSA level, and DRE findings were analyzed for their ability to determine the likelihood of finding prostate cancer on transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy. RESULTS: DRE was suspicious in 278 men (13.5%). Overall, 498 (24.5%) of 2054 men biopsied had prostate cancer. The probability of discovering cancer on biopsy was calculated using patient age, DRE findings, and PSA level. CONCLUSIONS: DRE status had a large influence on the likelihood of positive biopsy across all PSA and age ranges. A combination of PSA, DRE result, and age better defined the probability of a positive biopsy than any factor alone. Using this nomogram, the decision to proceed with or defer prostate biopsy can be based on an actual probability of discovering prostate cancer rather than a single PSA-based cutpoint. These data may aid physicians and patients in decision-making.

Age Factors↗

Hypoechoic lesions of the prostate: clinical relevance of tumor size, digital rectal examination, and prostate-specific antigen.

Two hundred fifty-six patients with hypoechoic lesions of the prostate found at transrectal ultrasound (US) were evaluated with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) study, digital rectal examination (DRE), and US-guided transrectal biopsy. Positive predictive values for cancer were calculated for transrectal US alone and in combination with DRE, PSA study, or both. Results were correlated with lesion size. The positive predictive value for transrectal US alone was 41%; this value increased to 61% if the patient had positive results from DRE, 52% if the PSA level was elevated, and 71% if both the DRE results and PSA level were abnormal. The positive predictive value for transrectal US fell to 24% if results of the DRE were normal, 12% if the PSA level was normal, and 5% if both DRE results and PSA level were normal. No cancers were detected in lesions 1.0 cm or smaller if DRE results and PSA level were normal. DRE and PSA study are valuable complements to abnormal transrectal US examinations. Biopsy of small suspicious lesions may not be indicated if results of both of the studies are normal.

Adult↗

[Digital rectal examination, transrectal ultrasonography and prostate specific antigen for diagnosis of prostate cancer in clinical urological practice-detection of impalpable cancer].

OBJECTIVE: The clinical usefulness of multimodality detection for prostate cancer by digital rectal examination (DRE), transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) and serum PSA determination (PSA) was evaluated in this retrospective study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 1344 symptomatic male patients who underwent DRE, TRUS and PSA in our outpatient clinic were studied. Prostate biopsies were performed when at least one diagnostic test was positive. RESULTS: Of 1344 patients, 436 (32.4%) had positive test results. Among 403 patients who underwent biopsy, 121 patients (30.0%) were found to have prostate cancer. The overall cancer detection rate was 9.0%. Among the 121 cancer patients, if examination had been carried out using only one or two tests, cancer would have not been detected in 22 patients (18.2%) by DRE alone, 27 patients (22.3%) by TRUS alone, 18 patients (14.9%) by PSA alone, 12 patients (9.9%) by a combination of DRE and TRUS, and 6 patients (5.0%) by a combination of DRE and PSA. Among the 121 patients with cancer, 22 (18.2%) had impalpable cancer. Impalpable cancer was more likely to be localized (77.3%) than palpable cancer (28.3%, p < 0.001) and more likely to be well or moderately differentiated (72.7%) than palpable cancer (41.4%, p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the need for multimodality detection using DRE, TRUS and PSA as complementary methods in order to minimize decrease in cancer detection. In particular, impalbable cancers not detectable by DRE were detected and were revealed to be more likely to be localized and amenable to curative therapy. These results therefore underscore the importance of multimodality detection for early diagnosis of prostate cancer in urological practice.

Adult↗

Diagnosis of prostate cancer: optimal number of prostate biopsies related to serum prostate-specific antigen and findings on digital rectal examination.

The optimal number of core biopsies of the prostate that are needed for the detection of prostate cancer is unknown. A retrospective review of protocols and charts concerning 1149 transrectal ultrasound examinations with biopsy performed in 1013 patients was undertaken. Cancer detection rate was correlated to findings on digital rectal examination (DRE), serum levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and number of biopsies taken. The cancer detection rate was significantly higher in patients who had five or more cores taken compared to those who had four or less (49% versus 35%, p < 0.05) in patients with serum PSA less than 10 ng/ml and a DRE suspicious of malignancy. The same trend was seen in patients with normal DRE and PSA less than 10 ng/ml (14% versus 8%, p = 0.057), while the detection rate for prostate cancer was unaffected by the number of cores taken if serum PSA was above 10 ng/ml.

Adult↗

Algorithms based on prostate-specific antigen (PSA), free PSA, digital rectal examination and prostate volume reduce false-positive PSA results in prostate cancer screening.

Our objective was to determine whether multivariate algorithms based on serum total PSA, the free proportion of PSA, age, digital rectal examination and prostate volume can reduce the rate of false-positive PSA results in prostate cancer screening more effectively than the proportion of free PSA alone at 95% sensitivity. A total of 1,775 consecutive 55- to 67-year-old men with a serum PSA of 4-10 microg/l in the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer were included. To predict the presence of cancer, multivariate algorithms were constructed using logistic regression (LR) and a multilayer perceptron neural network with Bayesian regularization (BR-MLP). A prospective setting was simulated by dividing the data set chronologically into one set for training and validation (67%, n = 1,183) and one test set (33%, n = 592). The diagnostic models were calibrated using the training set to obtain 95% sensitivity. When applied to the test set, the LR model, the BR-MLP model and the proportion of free PSA reached 92%, 87% and 94% sensitivity and reduced 29%, 36% and 22% of the false-positive PSA results, respectively. At a fixed sensitivity of 95% in the test set, the LR model eliminated more false-positive PSA results (22%) than the proportion of free PSA alone (17%) (p < 0.001), whereas the BR-MLP model did not (19%) (p = 0.178). The area under the ROC curve was larger for the LR model (0.764, p = 0.030) and the BR-MLP model (0.760, p = 0.049) than for the proportion of free PSA (0.718). A multivariate algorithm can be used to reduce unnecessary prostate biopsies in screening more effectively than the proportion of free PSA alone, but the algorithms will require updating when clinical practice develops with time.

Aged↗

Effect of digital rectal examination (and ejaculation) on serum prostate-specific antigen after twenty-four hours. A randomized, prospective study.

The purpose of this randomized, controlled, clinical trial was to determine the effect of the digital rectal examination (DRE) on the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) serum levels in view of conflicting literature reports and screening methods and misconceptions by physicians. We showed that the DRE had no clinically important effect on PSA values twenty-four hours later. The mean PSA rose from 1.57 to 1.62 ng/mL, similar to the controls. Ejaculation had no meaningful effect on the serum PSA values.

Adult↗

Digital rectal examination and prostate-specific antigen abnormalities at the time of prostate biopsy and biopsy outcomes, 1980 to 1997.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the temporal trends in the prevalence of pre-biopsy abnormalities in digital rectal examination (DRE) findings, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, and cancer detection rates by abnormality in all men from the community who had a prostate biopsy. METHODS: All Olmsted County, Minnesota residents who had their first prostate biopsy performed between January 1980 and December 1997 were identified (n = 1729). The complete medical records of these men were reviewed to determine the clinical findings at the time of the biopsy and the biopsy outcome. RESULTS: The prevalence of an abnormal DRE decreased from 69% in 1980 to 1986 to 45% in 1993 to 1997 (P <0.001). The prevalence of an isolated elevated PSA level (normal DRE) increased from 28% in 1987 to 1992 to 42% in 1993 to 1997 (P <0.001). In men diagnosed with cancer, 55% had an abnormal DRE in 1993 to 1997 (P <0.001). Prostate cancer was detected in 471 (37%) of 1280 men with an abnormal DRE or elevated PSA level noted within 6 weeks of the biopsy. The positive predictive value for prostate cancer was 61% (229 of 373) in men with an abnormal DRE and elevated PSA, 34% (166 of 494) in men with an elevated PSA only, and 18% (60 of 327) in men with an abnormal DRE only. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of an abnormal DRE at the time of biopsy has declined and that of an isolated elevated PSA has increased. However, nearly 40% of men with abnormalities in both PSA and DRE at the time of biopsy had a negative biopsy for prostate cancer. An increase in both the sensitivity and specificity of screening tests may further enhance the early detection of prostate cancer and potentially decrease the high negative biopsy rate.

Aged↗

Prostate cancer in nonurological patients with normal prostates on digital rectal examination.

Random systematic ultrasonographically guided transrectal core biopsies of the prostate were performed in 73 patients with pulmonary malignancies to exclude prostate cancer as a primary malignant neoplasm. Of the patients 41 had normal prostates as judged by digital rectal examination, 27 had firm prostates and 5 had clinical stage B nodules. Hypoechoic areas were seen on transrectal ultrasonography in 14 of the 41 patients (34%) with normal prostates. Biopsy of the hypoechoic areas in this subgroup detected only 1 grade II prostate cancer. In another patient with normal transrectal ultrasound grade I cancer was detected by mapping of the prostate with 6 systematic ultrasonographically guided transrectal core biopsies. Of the remaining 39 patients with normal prostates transrectal ultrasound detected no hypoechoic defect in 26, a specificity for the detection of prostate cancer of 67%. Multiple core biopsies revealed prostate cancer in 15 of the 32 cases of palpably abnormal prostates, including 12 that were hypoechoic. Prostate cancer is a rare histopathological finding in men with normal prostates on rectal examination. Transrectal ultrasound detected only 1 of 2 low volume prostate cancers in our study group. Thus, ultrasound seems to have little use in patients with prostates that appear normal on digital examination, and its specificity is low.

Aged↗

Digital rectal examination, serum prostate specific antigen, and prostatic ultrasound: how effective is this diagnostic triad?

Ninety-nine of 105 consecutive men who underwent transrectal prostatic ultrasound (TRUS) at Highland Park Hospital had the results correlated with digital rectal examination (DRE), serum prostate specific antigen (PSA), and biopsy results. Ninety-six cases had evaluable ultrasound studies. Thirty-two of the 99 who underwent biopsy had primary carcinoma of the prostate. Prostate volume, predicted PSA, a ratio of observed/predicted PSA, and Gleason score were examined. There was no correlation between age and prostate volume, volume and the presence of carcinoma, or PSA and Gleason score. Thirty-one point six percent of the abnormal DREs, 36.6% of the abnormal TRUSs, and 40.6% of the elevated PSAs occurred in men with prostatic carcinoma (PCa). If PSA was normal (less than or equal to 4.0 ng/ml) and either DRE or TRUS was abnormal, then the risk of carcinoma was 2.9%. If PSA was elevated, regardless of the other two tests, the risk of finding PCa was at least 38%. If all three tests were abnormal, the risk of carcinoma was 38% in our series and 68% in a meta-analysis. Many men with PSA values between 4 and 10 ng/ml have benign biopsies. However, close future follow-up with consideration of repeat biopsy should be strongly considered.

Aged↗

The percentage of free prostatic-specific antigen is also useful in men with normal digital rectal examination and serum prostatic-specific antigen between 10.1 and 20 ng/ml.

OBJECTIVE: The percentage of free prostatic-specific antigen (PSA) has been introduced as a tool to avoid unnecessary biopsies in men with normal digital rectal examination (DRE) and serum PSA between 4.1 and 10 ng/ml. In this series we also analyze its utility in men with normal DRE and serum PSA between 10.1 and 20 ng/ml. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A series of 1149 consecutive men with normal DRE and serum PSA between 4.1 and 20 ng/ml submitted for the first ultrasound guided sextant biopsy is analyzed. In 921 (80.2%) the serum PSA was from 4.1 to 10 ng/ml and in 228 (19.8%) from 10.1 to 20 ng/ml. Total and free serum PSA determinations were done by the inmunoradiometric assays Tandem and Tandem free PSA (Hybritech Inc.). RESULTS: The overall detection rate of prostate cancer was 27.9%. In the group of men which serum PSA ranged from 4.1 to 10 ng/ml the rate of detection was 25.4% and 37.7% when it was between 10.1 and 20 ng/ml. Using 25% or less of percent free PSA as a criterion for performing prostatic biopsy it would have detected 95.3% and 95.4% of the prostate cancers, respectively. The rate of unnecessary avoided biopsies would be 17.5% when serum PSA ranged from 4.1 to 10 ng/ml and 17.6% between 10.1 and 20 ng/ml. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective study demonstrates that the percentage of free PSA seems to have similar utility when serum PSA levels are between 4.1 and 10 ng/ml and between 10.1 and 20 ng/ml, at the time of the first prostatic biopsy indication.

Aged↗

Predicting prostate biopsy outcome by findings at digital rectal examination, transrectal ultrasonography, PSA, PSA density and free-to-total PSA ratio in a population-based screening setting.

The study offers a retrospective analysis of the positive predictive value (PPV) of several variables, i.e. digital rectal examination (DRE), transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS), PSA value, PSA density (PSAD), and free/total PSA ratio (F/T), for the histologic outcome of 179 prostate biopsies performed within a population-based screening trial. The ratio of spared benign biopsies to missed cancers (SBB/MC) if biopsy results had been decided on the basis of single variables was also evaluated. PPV was 82.9% for DRE, 56.3% for TRUS, 26.6% for PSA (cutoff > or =4 ng/mL), 47.4% for PSA (cutoff > or =10 ng/mL), 42.0% for PSAD (cutoff 0.15), 59.2% for PSAD (cutoff 0.20), 34.9% for F/T (cutoff 0.20) and 40.0% for F/T (cutoff 0.15). SBB/MC was 121/23 for DRE, 96/12 for TRUS, 11/10 for PSA (cutoff > or =4 ng/mL), 107/34 for PSA (cutoff > or =10 ng/mL), 87/23 for PSAD (cutoff 0.15), 109/26 for PSAD (cutoff 0.20), 45/8 for F/T (cutoff 0.20) and 70/14 for F/T (cutoff 0.15). Multivariate analysis of the association with biopsy outcome showed the highest odds ratio for TRUS (13.24, 95% CI=4.4-30.7), and considerably lower values for DRE (4.17, 95% CI=2.0-8-9), PSAD (cutoff 0.20: 3.24, 95% CI=-1.8-5.7) and F/T (cutoff <0.15: 3.16, 95% CI=1.7-1.8). None of the possible variable combinations was clinically useful: the highest PPV (83.3%) was obtained with a combination of suspicious DRE/TRUS, PSAD >0.20 and F/T <0.15, which nevertheless missed 20 of 52 cancers.

Biopsy↗