Prospective evaluation of prostate cancer detection by prostate‐specific antigen‐related parameters

Abstract

The diagnostic value of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) for differentiating prostate cancer from benign prostatic conditions is limited by its lack of specificity. Several PSA-related parameters have been suggested as enhancing the discriminatory power of total PSA values, but their clinical utility should be considered preliminary until established in a prospectively evaluated cohort. In a prospective cohort study, results of ultrasound-guided biopsy and/or transurethral resection of the prostate gland were assessed in 706 consecutive Japanese men. The clinical usefulness of total PSA, free PSA, percentage of free PSA, PSA density (PSAD), PSA density for transition zone (PSADT) and gland volume for predicting prostate cancer was investigated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis in 16 different patient subgroups. Overall, 150 of the 706 patients (21.2%) had prostate carcinoma. The ROC curve analysis showed that PSAD and PSADT were more powerful predictors of prostate cancer than total PSA in most of the 16 patient subgroups tested. The improvement in performance was modest, however. No substantial difference was noted between PSAD and PSADT. Total gland volume did not significantly affect the performance of these parameters. The use of a PSAD threshold value of 0.11-10.15 ng/mL per cm3 (or a PSADT value of 0.23-0.27 ng/mL per cm3) would have avoided 24-48% (or, for PSADT, 34-40%) of unnecessary biopsies at the cost of missing 5-10% of detectable cancers in a patient subgroup with intermediate total PSA levels. The performance of free PSA and percentage of free PSA was worse than that of any other test in this study. This may be due to inappropriate handling of sera prior to measurement. The discriminatory potential of total PSA for predicting prostate cancer was modestly improved by the use of PSAD and PSADT. No substantial advantage of PSADT over PSAD could be demonstrated. Stringent and standardized storage conditions should always be maintained when applying free PSA-related parameters.