Age-related reference levels of serum prostate-specific antigen among Taiwanese men without clinical evidence of prostate cancer.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

To determine the normal distribution of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in Taiwanese men without clinical evidence of prostate cancer.

METHODS:

Between August 2006 and October 2007, healthy Taiwanese men undergoing a routine health examination in our hospital were recruited into the study. All men received a digital rectal examination (DRE) and serum PSA determination and some received a transrectal ultrasound (TRUS). Men with normal DRE findings, and PSA < 4.0 ng/ml, PSA between 4.0 ng/ml and 20 ng/ml with a negative TRUS or abnormal TRUS findings (hypoechoic lesion or others) with a negative biopsy were defined as clinically free of prostate cancer.

RESULTS:

A total of 7803 participants without clinical evidence of prostate cancer were included in the study. The median PSA value (95th percentile range) was 0.896 ng/ml (3.329) for men 50-59 years old; 1.151 ng/ml (5.114) for men 60-69 years old; 1.623 ng/ml (6.237) for men 70-79 years old and 1.754 ng/ml (6.613) for men older then 80 years. The serum PSA values correlated with age (r = 0.3078, p < 0.001). There were small changes in the median and 95th percentile PSA values in men younger than 50 years old, but large increases in those older than 50 years.

CONCLUSIONS:

These findings confirm that the serum PSA is directly correlated with age, and offer more efficient PSA reference values for prostate cancer screening tests in Taiwanese men.

• Authors: Kuo-Jen Lin, See-Tong Pang, Ying-Hsu Chang, Chun-Te Wu, Kun-Lung Chuang, Heng-Chang Chuang, Cheng-Keng Chuang
• Journal: Chang Gung medical journal (Chang Gung Med J) 2010 Mar-Apr Vol. 33 Issue 2 Pg. 182-7 ISSN: 2309-835X [Electronic] China (Republic : 1949- )
• PMID: 20438671 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Prostate-Specific Antigen

Topics

• Age Factors
• Aged
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Prostate-Specific Antigen (blood)
• Prostatic Neoplasms (diagnosis)
• Taiwan