Serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) as surrogate for the histological diagnosis of prostate cancer
Date
2001-08
Authors
Heyns, C. F.
Naude, A. M.
Ahmed, G.
Stopforth, H. B.
Stellmacher, G. A.
Visser, A. J.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Health and Medical Publishing Group (HMPG)
Abstract
Introduction. To determine whether there is a cut-off value of
serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) which can be used
confidently to make the diagnosis of prostate cancer,
thereby obviating the need for biopsy.
Patients and methods. During the period October 1991 to
March 1998 the Department of Chemical Pathology at
Tygerberg Hospital performed a total of 6 733 serum PSA
assays on 3 960 patients. The histopathological and clinical
diagnoses of these patients were obtained from records in
the departments of Anatomical Pathology, Urological
Oncology and Radiation Oncology. The serum PSA levels
were correlated with the histopathology reports, using
different PSA cut-off values ranging from 5 to 500 ng/ml, to
calculate the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and
negative predictive values of each cut-off value of PSA in
predicting the presence of prostate cancer.
Description
The original publication is available at http://www.samj.org.za
Keywords
Prostate cancer -- Diagnosis, Prostate specific antigens -- Diagnostic use, Prostate specific antigens -- Economic aspects, Prostate biopsy -- Risk factors, Prostate specific antigens -- Therapeutic use -- Effectiveness
Citation
Heyns, C. F. et al. 2001. Serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) as surrogate for the histological diagnosis of prostate cancer. South African Medical Journal, 91(8):685-689.