Korean J Urol.  2010 Dec;51(12):831-835.

Significance of Serum Testosterone for Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Elevation and Prediction of Prostate Cancer in Patients with PSA Above 10 ng/ml

• Koo JM
• Shim BS

Abstract

PURPOSE
Testosterone is essential for the prostate gland's normal growth and development and is also a possible risk factor for prostate cancer. This study's aim was to determine the significance of serum testosterone for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) elevation and prostate cancer prediction in high-risk men.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study included 120 patients with PSA >10 ng/ml who underwent a transrectal-prostate biopsy. Serum testosterone, prostate volume, and PSA density (PSAD) were checked in all patients. Patients were divided into two groups, patients with and those without prostate cancer; and testosterone-related factors, prostate volume, PSA, PSAD, age, prostate cancer prediction rate, and cancer aggressiveness were evaluated.
RESULTS
Thirty-five patients (30.2%) were confirmed as having prostate cancer. The average serum testosterone level in patients without and in those with prostate cancer was 452.25+/-154.62 ng/dl and 458.10+/-158.84 ng/dl, respectively; average PSA was 17.58+/-9.02 ng/ml and 18.62+/-6.53 ng/ml, respectively; and average age was 69.02+/-7.52 years and 70.69+/-7.02 years, respectively (p>0.05). Hypogonadal and eugonadal patients showed no significant difference in cancer prevalence (30.3% vs. 32.0%, respectively). The testosterone level did not differ significantly in patients with and those without prostate cancer in either hypogonadal or eugonadal men (p>0.05). Serum testosterone showed no correlation with PSA, PSAD, or age in either group (p>0.05) and was unrelated to prostate cancer risk or aggressiveness (p>0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
In our study's results, serum testosterone at the time of diagnosis was unrelated to PSA elevation, prostate cancer risk, and aggressiveness.

Keyword

Prostate-specific antigen; Prostatic neoplasms; Testosterone

MeSH Terms

Biopsy
Growth and Development
Humans
Male
Prevalence
Prostate
Prostate-Specific Antigen
Prostatic Neoplasms
Risk Factors
Testosterone
Prostate-Specific Antigen
Testosterone

Figure

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  FIG. 1 Scatterplots showing the effect of testosterone on PSA. PSA: prostate-specific antigen.

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