Journal of Clinical and Experimental Investigations

Abstract

Objectives: In this study, we examined the value of prostate specific antigen (PSA) and digital rectal examination (DRE) in prostate cancer detection among men.
Materials and methods: Between January 2006 and July 2011, transrectal prostate needle biopsy was performed in 349 patients with abnormal DRE and/or >4ng/ml serum total PSA level were involved in the study. According to the histopathological examination, the patients were divided into two groups as without and with prostate cancer and their data were compared.
Results: At the end of the histopathological examination, 121 (32.4%) cases had prostate cancer and 252 (67.6%) cases found without prostate cancer. Mean age and mean PSA values were higher and prostate volume was lower in the prostate cancer group than the other group. Prostate cancer was detected in 73 of the patients (66.4%) whose DRE was abnormal. In prostate cancer group, Gleason scores of 47 patients’ (38.8%) were “6”, Gleason scores of 42 patients’ (34.7%) were “ 7” and Gleason scores of 32 patients’ (26.5%) were between 8 and 10. Positive predictive values for high serum total PSA level (>4 ng/ml) and abnormal DRE were found as 39.7% and 66.4% respectively.
Conclusions: Only serum total PSA measurement or only DRE is inadequate differential methods for differentiation of benign and malign prostate diseases. When DRE was assessed with serum total PSA level, cancer detection rate and reliability increases.