The relationship among PSA levels, prostatic volume and resected prostate weight

Park, Jong Hoon; Song, Jae Mann

Abstract

The prostate-specific antigen is a serine protease which is found only in epithelial cells of prostatic origin. Benign and malignant primary, as well as metastatic prostate cells, elaborate this protein. Benign prostatic hyperplasia can be associated with elevated levels of PSA as determined by a monoclonal assay, and prostatic weight is the most important non-cancer factor variable of PSA elevation. We estimated the in vivo prostate gland volume and resected weight of prostate in 75 men using prolate ellipse formula ultrasound analysis from Jan. 1991 to June 1992. OF the men 43 (58 %) had a PSA value of 4ng/ml or less. The PSA value was greater than 4 but less than or equal to 10 in 19 men (25 %) and greater than 10 in 13 men (17 %). A total of 24 men (35 %) had a eland volume less then 25 cm3, 16% of whom had a PSA value greater than 4. Further analysis revealed that the incidence of a PSA value greater than 4 increased as the prostate volume increased (51 % for greater than or equal to 25 but less than or equal to 50 and 62.5 % for greater than 50). The incidence of a PSA Value greater than 10 increased as resected weight of prostate increased (25 % for greater than or equal to 21 but less than or equal to 30 and 75 % for greater than 30). We found a statistically significant association between prostate gland volume and resected specimen weight to the serum PSA concentration. The prostate gland volume can be a helpful adjunct in determining the significance of PSA value clinically.