Preoperative prostate specific antigen doubling time and velocity are strong and independent predictors of outcomes following radical prostatectomy

Antidepressant medication use and prostate cancer recurrence in men with depressive disorders

Purpose

Whether treating prostate cancer survivors with a depressive disorder with antidepressants can affect their cancer outcomes is unknown. We evaluated the association between antidepressant use and prostate cancer recurrence, in survivors with comorbid depressive disorders.

Methods

We conducted a longitudinal cohort study of 10,017 men with prostate cancer (stages I–II) diagnosed who also had a comorbid depressive disorder followed a maximum of 22 years, and examined rates of biochemical recurrence by antidepressant medication use. We conducted multivariable Cox models based on time-dependent antidepressant drug use status, and examined the risk of biochemical recurrence by cumulative duration of antidepressant use.

Results

Of these 10,017 survivors, 1842 (18%) experienced biochemical recurrence over 69,500 person-years of follow-up. The prostate cancer biochemical recurrence rate was greater with antidepressant non-use (31.3/1000 person-years) compared to antidepressant use (23.5/1000 person-years). In Cox proportional hazards multivariable adjusted models, non-use of antidepressants was associated with a 34% increased risk of biochemical recurrence compared to antidepressant use (HR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.24–1.44). Longer use of antidepressants was associated with a lower biochemical recurrence risk (P trend test < 0.001).

Conclusion

Untreated depressive disorders in prostate cancer patients may be associated with an increased risk of biochemical recurrence.

Baseline Plasma Tumor DNA (ctDNA) Correlates with PSA Kinetics in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC) Treated with Abiraterone or Enzalutamide

Background: Baseline high circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) fraction in plasma and androgen receptor (AR) copy number (CN) gain identify mCRPC patients with worse outcomes. This study aimed to assess if ctDNA associates with PSA kinetics. Methods: In this prospective biomarker study, we evaluate ctDNA fraction and AR CN from plasma samples. We divided patients into high and low ctDNA level and in AR gain and AR normal. Results: 220 baseline samples were collected from mCRPC treated with abiraterone (n = 140) or enzalutamide (n = 80). A lower rate of PSA decline ≥ 50% was observed in patients with high ctDNA (p = 0.017) and AR gain (p = 0.0003). Combining ctDNA fraction and AR CN, we found a different median PSA progression-free survival (PFS) among four groups: (1) low ctDNA/AR normal, (2) high ctDNA/AR normal, (3) low ctDNA/AR gain, and (4) high ctDNA/AR gain (11.4 vs. 5.0 vs. 4.8 vs. 3.7 months, p < 0.0001). In a multivariable analysis, high ctDNA, AR gain, PSA DT, PSA DT velocity remained independent predictors of PSA PFS. Conclusions: Elevated ctDNA levels and AR gain are negatively and independently correlated with PSA kinetics in mCRPC men treated with abiraterone or enzalutamide.

Tissue- and Liquid-Based Biomarkers in Prostate Cancer Precision Medicine

Worldwide, prostate cancer (PC) is the second-most-frequently diagnosed male cancer and the fifth-most-common cause of all cancer-related deaths. Suspicion of PC in a patient is largely based upon clinical signs and the use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Although PSA levels have been criticised for a lack of specificity, leading to PC over-diagnosis, it is still the most commonly used biomarker in PC management. Unfortunately, PC is extremely heterogeneous, and it can be difficult to stratify patients whose tumours are unlikely to progress from those that are aggressive and require treatment intensification. Although PC-specific biomarker research has previously focused on disease diagnosis, there is an unmet clinical need for novel prognostic, predictive and treatment response biomarkers that can be used to provide a precision medicine approach to PC management. In particular, the identification of biomarkers at the time of screening/diagnosis that can provide an indication of disease aggressiveness is perhaps the greatest current unmet clinical need in PC management. Largely through advances in genomic and proteomic techniques, exciting pre-clinical and clinical research is continuing to identify potential tissue, blood and urine-based PC-specific biomarkers that may in the future supplement or replace current standard practices. In this review, we describe how PC-specific biomarker research is progressing, including the evolution of PSA-based tests and those novel assays that have gained clinical approval. We also describe alternative diagnostic biomarkers to PSA, in addition to biomarkers that can predict PC aggressiveness and biomarkers that can predict response to certain therapies. We believe that novel biomarker research has the potential to make significant improvements to the clinical management of this disease in the near future.

The impact of age on prostate cancer progression and quality of life in active surveillance patients

Objectives

To evaluate the impact of age on overall survival (OS), freedom from distant metastasis (FDM), rates of therapeutic intervention (TI), and quality of life (QOL) in active surveillance (AS) prostate cancer patients.

Materials and methods

Three hundred and five consecutive, prospectively evaluated AS patients who underwent a staging transperineal template‐guided mapping biopsy (TTMB) prior to enrollment on AS were evaluated and stratified by age. Evaluated outcomes included OS, FDM, TI, and QOL to include urinary, bowel, sexual function, and depression. Post void residual (PVR) urine measurements were also followed. Repeat biopsy was based on PSA kinetics, abnormal digital rectal examination or patient preference.

Results

Of the 305 patients, 290 (95.1%) were Gleason 3 + 3 and 15 patients (4.9%) were Gleason 3 + 4. The median follow‐up was 5.5 years (range 1‐14 years). At 10 years, TI was 0%, 1.0%, and 11.4% for patients ≤59, 60‐69, and ≥70 years of age (P < .001). No patient has developed distant metastasis. The median time to TI was 4.71 years. No statistical differences in urinary function, bowel function, or depression were noted. Potency preservation was dependent on patient age.

Conclusion

Within the confines of the follow‐up of our series, younger patients were less likely to proceed to therapeutic intervention. In addition, patient age did not adversely impact QOL outcomes.

Prostate-specific antigen velocity in diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer - a systematic review

Prostate-specific antigen velocity (PSAV) is widely used to detect PC and predict its progression. In this study, we qualitatively synthesized the currently available evidence from published studies regarding the PSAV role in PC. Electronic databases were searched to find relevant articles published until January 2019. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to identify related papers. Eventually, data extraction followed by evidence synthesis was conducted. Full-text screening resulted in 42 included studies. Multiple definitions and intervals were used for PSAV calculation across studies. Results from the included studies were conflicting regarding the role of PSAV in detecting PC and predicting progression in active surveillance cases. However, there is evidence that PSAV may have a predictive role in post-treated men. There is no clear-cut evidence from the published literature to support the use of PSAV in clinical practice.

Active surveillance outcomes in prostate cancer patients: the use of transperineal template-guided mapping biopsy for patient selection

PURPOSE

To evaluate active surveillance (AS) outcomes including overall survival (OS), freedom from distant metastases (FDM), freedom from therapeutic intervention (FTI), and quality of life (QOL) outcomes in prostate cancer patients using transperineal template-guided mapping biopsy (TTMB) for patient selection.

METHODS

From April 2005-January 2016, 226 consecutive, prospectively evaluated prostate cancer patients underwent TTMB for either low-grade prostate cancer or persistently elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and/or the presence of ASAP. Evaluated outcomes included OS, FDM, FTI and QOL including urinary, bowel, sexual function and depression. Repeat biopsy was based on PSA kinetics and/or abnormal digital rectal examination.

RESULTS

Of the 226 patients, 212 (93.8%) were Gleason 3 + 3 and 14 (6.2%) were Gleason 3 + 4. The median follow-up was 5.0 years (range 0.8-13.0 years). The mean prostate volume was 61.3 cm³ with a mean of 59.5 TTMB cores/patient. At the time of AS enrollment, an average of 72.9 cores (TRUS + TTMB) had been obtained for each patient. At 8 years, OS, FTI and FDM were 92.5, 96.8 and 100%. Two hundred and twenty-two patients (98.2%) had a PSA doubling time of more than 3 years. No statistical changes in urinary function, bowel function or depression were noted. At 8 years, 73% of the patients maintained erectile function.

CONCLUSION

Within the confines of the follow-up of this study, the use of TTMB for patient selection identifies a cohort of patients unlikely to develop biochemical or clinical progression and maintain a favorable quality of life.

Pretreatment prostate specific antigen doubling time as prognostic factor in prostate cancer patients

Despite the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) serum level commonly uses as tumor marker in diagnosis of prostate cancer, it seems that PSA doubling time (PSADT) could be more useful indicator of tumor behavior and of prognosis for patients. The results of hormone and radiation therapy were evaluated for 912 prostate cancer having at least 2 PSA tests before the treatment was started. Clustering procedure (selection of homogenous group) was performed by using PSADT as the classification marker. The rate of PSADT was estimated for different dissemination rate, age, Gleasons's score and education level. PSADT index inversely correlated with the rate of prostate cancer dissemination, Gleason's score and the level of education were directly correlated with the age of patients. Survival time was longer and PSADT index was higher in “slow” tumor growing subgroups in local, local-advanced and metastatic prostate cancer patients than these in “fast” subgroups. The study confirmed the prognostic value of pretreatment PSADT in prostate cancer patients independently of cancer progression. No significant relationship exists between the authors and the companies/organizations whose products or services may be referenced in this article.

Prostate-specific antigen velocity is not better than total prostate-specific antigen in predicting prostate biopsy diagnosis

OBJECTIVES

1.) Identify whether prostate-specific antigen velocity improves the ability to predict prostate biopsy diagnosis. 2.) Test whether there is an increase in the predictive capability of models when Gleason 7 prostate cancers are separated into a 3+4 and a 4+3 group.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Calgary Laboratory Services' Clinical Laboratory Information System was searched for prostate biopsies reported between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2013. Total prostate-specific antigen tests were recorded for each patient from January 1, 2007 to the most recent test before their recorded prostate biopsy. The data set was divided into the following three groups for comparison; benign, all prostate cancer and Gleason 7-10. The Gleason grade 7-10 group was further divided into 4+3 and 3+4 Gleason 7 prostate cancers. Prostate-specific antigen velocity was calculated using four different methods found in the literature. Receiver operator curves were used to assess operational characteristics of the tests.

RESULTS

4622 men between the ages of 40-89 with a prostate biopsy were included for analysis. Combining prostate-specific antigen velocity with total prostate-specific antigen (AUC=0.570-0.712) resulted in small non-statistically significant changes to the area under the curve compared to the area under the curve of total prostate-specific antigen alone (AUC=0.572-0.699). There were marked increases in the area under curves when 3+4 and 4+3 Gleason 7 cancers were separated.

CONCLUSIONS

Prostate-specific antigen velocity does not add predictive value for prostate biopsy diagnosis. The clinical significance of the prostate specific antigen test can be improved by separating Gleason 7 prostate cancers into a 3+4 and 4+3 group.

Circulating biomarkers for discriminating indolent from aggressive disease in prostate cancer active surveillance

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To review research on the use of circulating biomarkers to predict unfavorable tumor pathology in the setting of active surveillance, or in clinical contexts that are informative for active surveillance, such as men with low-risk prostate cancer evaluated for upgrading or upstaging at surgery.

RECENT FINDINGS

Biomarkers have been evaluated in serum, plasma, urine, and expressed prostatic secretions. Only a small number of biomarkers have been evaluated in multiple studies: %free prostate-specific antigen (PSA), PSA velocity, PSA doubling time, proPSA, PCA3, TMPRSS2-ERG. Single studies with relevance to active surveillance have evaluated microRNAs, circulating tumor cells, and exosomes. The most consistent significant associations with unfavorable tumor pathology have been with %free PSA. Associations with [-2]proPSA and Prostate Health Index have also been consistent; however, three of four studies come from the same active surveillance patient cohort.

SUMMARY

Circulating biomarkers represent a promising approach to identify men with apparently low-risk biopsy pathology, but who harbor potentially aggressive tumors unsuitable for active surveillance. Research is still at an early stage; existing biomarkers need rigorous validation with consistent methodology, and additional biomarkers need to be evaluated. Successful clinical translation would reduce the frequency of surveillance biopsies, and may enhance acceptance of active surveillance.

Factors that predict the development of bone metastases due to prostate cancer: Recommendations for follow-up and therapeutic options

CONTEXT

Prostate cancer is a public health problem in Spain and in the Western world. Bone involvement, associated to significant morbidity, is practically constant in the advanced stages of the disease. This work aims to review the prognostic factors used in the usual clinical practice that predict the development of bone metastases and to analyze the follow-up and treatment option in these patient profiles.

ACQUIRING OF EVIDENCE

We performed a review of the literature on the useful factors in the context of therapy with intention to cure. We included the classical clinical values in the diagnosis (PSA, clinical stage, Gleason score on the biopsy) pathological factors (pT stage, margins, bladder invasion, tumor volume, lymph node involvement) and PSA kinetics in their different contexts and the histological and molecular parameters.

SYNTHESIS OF EVIDENCE

The tumor differentiation "Gleason" score and PSA are the most important predictive factors in the prediction of bone metastases in patients with intention to cure. Kinetic factors such as PSA doubling time (TDPSA) < 8 months or PSA > 10 ng/ml in the case of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CPRC), are predictive factors for the development of metastasis. Zoledronic acid and denosumab have demonstrated their effectiveness for the treatment of bone disease in randomized studies.

CONCLUSIONS

There are predictive factors within the usual clinical practice that make it possible to recognize the "patient at risk" to develop bone metastatic disease. The currently available treatments, zoledronic acid or denosumab, can help us in the management of the patient at risk of developing metastasis or metastatic patient, increasing the quality of life and decreasing skeletal events.

Prostate-specific antigen doubling time as a progression criterion in an active surveillance programme for patients with localized prostate cancer

OBJECTIVES

To elucidate the role of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) doubling time (PSAdt) as a progression criterion in patients with low-risk prostate cancer managed by active surveillance (AS). To assess the correlation between PSAdt during AS and final histopathology after radical prostatectomy (RP) in patients meeting predefined progression criteria.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 258 consecutive patients on an AS programme were included in the study. The PSAdt was calculated in patients with two or more PSA values, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated in patients with four or more PSA values. Progression risk groups were defined as follows: high-risk: PSAdt <3 years, rebiopsy Gleason score (GS) ≥4 + 3, more than three positive biopsy cores, and/or bilateral tumour or cT ≥2c disease; intermediate-risk: PSAdt 3-5 years, GS = 3 + 4 or cT2b disease; and low-risk: PSAdt >5 years, without histopathological or clinical progression. Definitive treatment was recommended for patients in the high-risk group and treatment options were discussed with those in the intermediate-risk group.

RESULTS

A total of 2291 PSA values obtained during AS were available, of which 2071 were considered valid in the 258 patients. PSAdt values with 95% CIs were calculated in 221 patients based on a median of 8 PSA values. The 95% CIs for PSAdt overlapped considerably and in up to 91% of the patients, the 95% CIs overlapped among the risk group definitions. A total of 26% (68/258 patients) underwent RP after meeting the progression criteria. There was no association between preoperative PSAdt and final histopathology (P = 0.87).

CONCLUSION

The uncertainty of calculated PSAdt during AS leads to a significant risk of patients being misclassified in terms of risk of progression, which limits the use of PSAdt in the management of patients on AS.

Pomegranate Juice Metabolites, Ellagic Acid and Urolithin A, Synergistically Inhibit Androgen-Independent Prostate Cancer Cell Growth via Distinct Effects on Cell Cycle Control and Apoptosis

Ellagitannins (ETs) from pomegranate juice (PJ) are bioactive polyphenols with chemopreventive potential against prostate cancer (PCa). ETs are not absorbed intact but are partially hydrolyzed in the gut to ellagic acid (EA). Colonic microflora can convert EA to urolithin A (UA), and EA and UA enter the circulation after PJ consumption. Here, we studied the effects of EA and UA on cell proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis in DU-145 and PC-3 androgen-independent PCa cells and whether combinations of EA and UA affected cell proliferation. EA demonstrated greater dose-dependent antiproliferative effects in both cell lines compared to UA. EA induced cell cycle arrest in S phase associated with decreased cyclin B1 and cyclin D1 levels. UA induced a G2/M arrest and increased cyclin B1 and cdc2 phosphorylation at tyrosine-15, suggesting inactivation of the cyclin B1/cdc2 kinase complex. EA induced apoptosis in both cell lines, while UA had a less pronounced proapoptotic effect only in DU-145. Cotreatment with low concentrations of EA and UA dramatically decreased cell proliferation, exhibiting synergism in PC-3 cells evaluated by isobolographic analysis and combination index. These data provide information on pomegranate metabolites for the prevention of PCa recurrence, supporting the role of gut flora-derived metabolites for cancer prevention.

Active surveillance in prostate cancer: patient selection and triggers for intervention

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The long-term safety and effectiveness of active surveillance depends on our ability to select appropriate patients and trigger delayed treatment in those who need it, whereas avoiding intervention in those who do not. In this review, we will consider how recent advances have influenced patient selection for active surveillance and review the range of different intervention triggers that have been proposed.

RECENT FINDINGS

Several large surveillance cohort studies have been reported recently showing excellent medium-term outcomes in well selected patients, with approximately a third of patients going on to have deferred treatment. Debate continues on the most appropriate eligibility criteria for active surveillance and what triggers for intervention should be used. There is growing interest in the role of transperineal template biopsies and multiparametric MRI, both for patient selection and in identifying triggers for intervention.

SUMMARY

Active surveillance is a well tolerated treatment option in well selected groups of patients. There is no 'one size fits all' set of criteria for patient selection or triggers for intervention but decisions can be guided by information from histology, prostate-specific antigen kinetics and imaging.

Comprehensive analysis of post-diagnostic prostate-specific antigen kinetics as predictor of a prostate cancer progression in active surveillance patients

WHAT'S KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT? AND WHAT DOES THE STUDY ADD?: A significant proportion of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer do not require immediate treatment and could be managed by active surveillance, which usually includes serial measurements of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and regular biopsies. The rate of rise in PSA levels, which could be calculated as PSA velocity or PSA doubling time, was previously suggested to be associated with the biological aggressiveness of prostate cancer. Although these parameters are obvious candidates for predicting tumour progression in active surveillance patients, earlier studies that examined this topic provided conflicting results. Our analysis showed that PSA velocity and PSA doubling time calculated at different time-points, by different methods, over different intervals, and in different sub-groups of active surveillance patients provide little if any prognostic information. Although we found some significant associations between PSA velocity and the risk of progression as determined by biopsy, the actual clinical significance of this association was small. Furthermore, PSA velocity did not add to the predictive accuracy of total PSA.

OBJECTIVE

To study whether prostate-specific antigen (PSA) velocity (PSAV) and PSA doubling time (PSADT) are associated with biopsy progression in patients managed by active surveillance.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Our inclusion criteria for active surveillance are biopsy Gleason sum <7, two or fewer positive biopsy cores, ≤20% tumour present in any core, and clinical stage T1-T2a. Changes in any of these parameters during the follow-up that went beyond these limits are considered to be progression. This study included 250 patients who had at least one surveillance biopsy, an available PSA measured no earlier than 3 months before diagnosis, and at least one PSA measurement before each surveillance biopsy. We evaluated the association between PSA kinetics and progression at successive surveillance biopsies in different sub-groups of patients by calculating the area under the curve (AUC) as well as sensitivity and specificity of different thresholds.

RESULTS

Over a median follow-up of 3.0 years, the disease of 64 (26%) patients progressed. PSADT was not associated with biopsy progression, whereas PSAV was only weakly associated with progression in certain sub-groups. However, incorporation of PSAV in models including total PSA resulted in a moderate increase in AUC only when the entire cohort was analysed. In other sub-groups the predictive accuracy of total PSA was not significantly improved by adding PSAV.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings confirm that PSA kinetics should not be used in decision-making in patients with low-risk prostate cancer managed by active surveillance. Regular surveillance biopsies should remain as the principal method of monitoring cancer progression in these men.

Differentiation of lethal and non lethal prostate cancer: PSA and PSA isoforms and kinetics

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing for the early diagnosis of prostate cancer has led to a decrease in cancer mortality. However, the high prevalence of low-grade prostate cancer and its long natural history, competing causes of death in older men and treatment patterns of prostate cancer, have led to dramatic overtreatment of the disease. Improved markers of prostate cancer lethality are needed to reduce the overtreatment of prostate cancer that leads to a reduced quality of life without extending life for a high proportion of men. The PSA level prior to treatment is routinely used in multivariable models to predict prostate cancer aggressiveness. PSA isoforms and PSA kinetics have been associated with more aggressive phenotypes, but are not routinely employed as part of prediction tools prior to treatment. PSA kinetics is a valuable marker of lethality post treatment and routinely used in determining the need for salvage therapy.

Evaluation of prediagnostic prostate-specific antigen dynamics as predictors of death from prostate cancer in patients treated conservatively

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) dynamics have been proposed to predict outcome in men with prostate cancer. We assessed the value of PSA velocity (PSAV) and PSA doubling time (PSADT) for predicting prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) in men with clinically localized prostate cancer undergoing conservative management or early hormonal therapy. From 1990 to 1996, 2,333 patients were identified, of whom 594 had two or more PSA values before diagnosis. We examined 12 definitions for PSADT and 10 for PSAV. Because each definition required PSA measurements at particular intervals, the number of patients eligible for each definition varied from 40 to 594 and number of events from 10 to 119. Four PSAV definitions, but no PSADT, were significantly associated with PCSM after adjustment for PSA in multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression. All four could be calculated only for a proportion of events, and the enhancements in predictive accuracy associated with PSAV had very wide confidence intervals. There was no clear benefit of PSAV in men with low PSA and Gleason grade 6 or less. Although evidence that certain PSAV definitions help to predict PCSM in the cohort exist, the value of incorporating PSAV in predictive models to assist in determining eligibility for conservative management is, at best, uncertain.

Significance of preoperative PSA velocity in men with low serum PSA and normal DRE

OBJECTIVES

A PSA velocity (PSAV)>0.35 ng/ml/year approximately 10-15 years prior to diagnosis is associated with a greater risk of lethal prostate cancer. Some have recommended that a PSAV>0.35 ng/ml/year should prompt a prostate biopsy in men with a low serum PSA (<4 ng/ml) and benign DRE. However, less is known about the utility of this PSAV cutpoint for the prediction of treatment outcomes among men undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP).

METHODS

Between 1992 and 2007, 339 men underwent RP at our institution with a preoperative PSA<4 ng/ml, benign DRE, and multiple preoperative PSA measurements. PSAV was calculated by linear regression analysis using all PSA values within 18 months prior to diagnosis. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed, and biochemical progression rates were compared between PSAV strata using the log-rank test.

RESULTS

The preoperative PSAV was >0.35 ng/ml/year in 124 (36.6%) of 339 men. Although there were no significant differences in clinico-pathological characteristics based upon PSAV, men with a PSAV>0.35 ng/ml/year were significantly more likely to experience biochemical progression after RP at a median follow-up of 4 years (P=0.022).

CONCLUSIONS

In this low-risk population with a preoperative PSA<4 ng/ml and benign DRE, approximately 1/3 had a preoperative PSAV>0.35 ng/ml/year. Physicians should carefully monitor men with a preoperative PSA>0.35 ng/ml/year as they are at increased risk of biochemical progression following RP.

Interpretation of the prostate-specific antigen history in assessing life-threatening prostate cancer

OBJECTIVE

To present an effective approach to the early detection of lethal prostate cancer using longitudinal data on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and its rate of change, i.e. PSA velocity (PSAV). This longitudinal approach might also be extendible to other biomarkers.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

PSAV was calculated using five techniques for 634 subjects with at least three PSA measurements in a longitudinal ageing study, censoring PSA levels of > 10 ng/mL. The efficacy for predicting death from prostate cancer was assessed with concordance indices and by using net reclassification improvement (NRI), which indicated the net increase in sensitivity and specificity when adding a biomarker to a base Cox proportional hazards model. The PSAV techniques were compared for the 5-10 years before the clinical diagnosis of prostate cancer. The most effective technique was then applied at the transition point when each man's PSA history curve transformed from linear to exponentially increasing, and its predictive value was compared to that of concurrent PSA level.

RESULTS

A PSA transition point was found in 522 (82%) of the 634 men, including all 11 who died from prostate cancer. At the transition point, the mean PSA level was 1.4 ng/mL, and PSAV but not PSA level was significantly higher among men who died from prostate cancer than among men who did not (P = 0.021 vs P = 0.112; Wilcoxon two-sample test). At the transition point, adding PSAV to a base model consisting of age and date of diagnosis improved the concordance index by 0.05, and significantly improved the overall sensitivity and specificity (NRI, P = 0.028), while adding PSA level to the same base model resulted in little improvement (concordance index increase < 0.01 and NRI P = 0.275).

CONCLUSION

When the shape of a man's PSA history curve changes from linear to exponential, PSAV might help in the early identification of life-threatening prostate cancer at a time when PSA values are still low in most men.

Prostate specific antigen velocity does not aid prostate cancer detection in men with prior negative biopsy

PURPOSE

Prostate specific antigen velocity has been proposed as a marker to aid in prostate cancer detection. We determined whether prostate specific antigen velocity could predict repeat biopsy results in men with persistently increased prostate specific antigen after initial negative biopsy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We identified 1,837 men who participated in the Göteborg or Rotterdam section of the European Randomized Screening study of Prostate Cancer and who underwent 1 or more subsequent prostate biopsies after an initial negative finding. We evaluated whether prostate specific antigen velocity improved predictive accuracy beyond that of prostate specific antigen alone.

RESULTS

Of the 2,579 repeat biopsies 363 (14%) were positive for prostate cancer, of which 44 (1.7%) were high grade (Gleason score 7 or greater). Prostate specific antigen velocity was statistically associated with cancer risk but had low predictive accuracy (AUC 0.55, p <0.001). There was some evidence that prostate specific antigen velocity improved AUC compared to prostate specific antigen for high grade cancer. However, the small increase in risk associated with high prostate specific antigen velocity (from 1.7% to 2.8% as velocity increased from 0 to 1 ng/ml per year) had questionable clinical relevance.

CONCLUSIONS

Men with prior negative biopsy are at lower risk for prostate cancer at subsequent biopsies with high grade disease particularly rare. We found little evidence to support prostate specific antigen velocity to aid in decisions about repeat biopsy for prostate cancer.

Prostate-specific antigen halving time while on neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy is associated with biochemical control in men treated with radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer

PURPOSE

To assess whether the PSA response to neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is associated with biochemical control in men treated with radiation therapy (RT) for prostate cancer.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

In a cohort of men treated with curative-intent RT for localized prostate cancer between 1988 and 2005, 117 men had PSA values after the first and second months of neoadjuvant ADT. Most men had intermediate-risk (45%) or high-risk (44%) disease. PSA halving time (PSAHT) was calculated by first order kinetics. Median RT dose was 76 Gy and median total duration of ADT was 4 months. Freedom from biochemical failure (FFBF, nadir + 2 definition) was analyzed by PSAHT and absolute PSA nadir before the start of RT.

RESULTS

Median follow-up was 45 months. Four-year FFBF was 89%. Median PSAHT was 2 weeks. A faster PSA decline (PSAHT ≤2 weeks) was associated with greater FFBF (96% vs. 81% for a PSAHT >2 weeks, p = 0.0110). Those within the fastest quartile of PSAHTs (≤ 10 days) achieved a FFBF of 100%. Among high-risk patients, a PSAHT ≤2 weeks achieved a 4-yr FFBF of 93% vs. 70% for those with PSAHT >2 weeks (p = 0.0508). Absolute PSA nadir was not associated with FFBF. On multivariable analysis, PSAHT (p = 0.0093) and Gleason score (p = 0.0320) were associated with FFBF, whereas T-stage (p = 0.7363) and initial PSA level (p = 0.9614) were not.

CONCLUSIONS

For men treated with combined ADT and RT, PSA response to the first month of ADT may be a useful criterion for prognosis and treatment modification.

Preoperative prostate specific antigen doubling time is not a useful predictor of biochemical progression after radical prostatectomy

PURPOSE

Postoperative prostate specific antigen doubling time may be used as a surrogate for prostate cancer specific mortality in patients with biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy. Less is known about the usefulness of preoperative prostate specific antigen doubling time for the initial prediction of prostatectomy outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Preoperative prostate specific antigen doubling time was calculated in 1,208 men from a large prostate cancer screening study who were treated with radical prostatectomy. We examined the relationship of prostate specific antigen doubling time with tumor features and biochemical progression-free survival.

RESULTS

Overall prostate specific antigen doubling time was associated with nonorgan confined disease (OR 0.996, 95% CI 0.992-0.999, p = 0.013) but not with biochemical progression (HR 1.000, 95% CI 0.998-1.001, p = 0.66). Using previously published 18 and 36-month thresholds for prostate specific antigen doubling time there was no significant relationship between doubling time and specific adverse pathological features or biochemical progression. Using the concordance index prostate specific antigen doubling time did not enhance the prediction of biochemical progression beyond that achieved by a model with prostate specific antigen, clinical stage and biopsy Gleason score.

CONCLUSIONS

In our series of men with newly diagnosed, clinically localized prostate cancer shorter preoperative prostate specific antigen doubling time was associated with nonorgan confined disease but not with biochemical progression after radical prostatectomy. All calculations of prostate specific antigen kinetics may not be equivalent. Caution should be exercised when using prostate specific antigen doubling time in the pretreatment setting.

Dissecting the dynamics of serum prostate-specific antigen

I have examined more than 800 values of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in 119 American Veterans during the time before their diagnosis of prostate cancer. These values appear to follow an exponential model with respect to time. Specifically, the model comprises a sum of 2 exponential functions: one for an early, slowly rising component of PSA and a second for a later, faster rising component. The parameters of each component comprise an amplitude and a relative velocity. Whereas the relative velocity of the slow component is significantly associated with the volume of benign tissue, both the amplitude and relative velocity of the fast component are significantly associated with the volume of tumor. The results suggest that at the time of diagnosis of prostate cancer the level and velocity of PSA reflect the combination of slow and fast components. Thus, this model provides insight into how benign and malignant tissues in the prostate determine the dynamics of PSA.

The effect of Gleason score on the predictive value of prostate-specific antigen doubling time

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the influence of the pathological Gleason score on the predictive value of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) doubling time (DT), as this variable predicts a patient's risk of disease progression both before and after definitive therapy for prostate cancer, and there is an inverse correlation between the Gleason score and PSA production.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We evaluated all men treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) between 1990 and 1999 who did not receive neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy. We identified 2296 patients who had multiple PSA values available before RP, and 1323 who had biochemical recurrence after RP and had at least two PSA values available before starting secondary therapy. Systemic progression and cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard regression models.

RESULTS

A PSA DT of <18 vs >18 months predicted a lower 10-year systemic progression-free survival for patients with tumours having a pathological Gleason score of <7 (98% vs 99%, P = 0.005), 7 (82% vs 91%, P = 0.003) and 8-10 (57% vs 73%, P = 0.042). A PSA DT after RP of <12 months was significantly associated with a lower 10-year systemic progression-free survival for patients with tumours having a Gleason score of <7 (77% vs 94%, P < 0.001) and 7 (61% vs 86%, P < 0.001), but not 8-10 (61% vs 75%, P = 0.11). The ability of PSA DT before and after RP to predict systemic progression and CSS decreased with increasing Gleason score.

CONCLUSIONS

The PSA DT remains associated with outcome both before and after RP across increasing pathological Gleason scores, although the predictive ability of PSA DT is diminished in Gleason 8-10 cancers.

Early prostate-specific antigen changes and the diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To delineate how recent findings on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) can improve prediction of risk, detection, and prediction of clinical endpoints of prostate cancer (PCa).

RECENT FINDINGS

The widely used PSA cut-point of 4.0 ng/ml increasingly appears arbitrary, but no cut-point achieves both high sensitivity and high specificity. The accuracy of detecting PCa can be increased by additional predictive factors and a combinations of markers. Evidence implies that a panel of kallikrein markers improves the specificity and reduces costs by eliminating unnecessary biopsies. Large, population-based studies have provided evidence that PSA can be used to predict PCa risk many years in advance, improve treatment selection and patient care, and predict the risk of complications and disease recurrence. However, definitive evidence is currently lacking as to whether PSA screening lowers PCa -specific mortality.

SUMMARY

PSA is still the main tool for early detection, risk stratification, and monitoring of PCa. However, PSA values are affected by many technical and biological factors. Instead of using a fixed PSA cut-point, using statistical prediction models and considering the integration additional markers may be able to improve and individualize PCa diagnostics. A single PSA measurement at early middle age can predict risk of advanced PCa decades in advance and stratify patients for intensity of subsequent screening.

Prostate-specific antigen half-life: a new predictor of progression-free survival and overall survival in Chinese prostate cancer patients

We investigated the potential value of prostate-specific antigen half-life (PSAHL) and decreasing velocity (PSAVd) to predict progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in Chinese patients with prostate cancer. A total of 153 patients treated with hormonal therapy were included in the study. Of these, 78 patients progressed to hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) and 24 patients died by the end of follow-up. PSAHL was defined as the time during which prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentration became half of the initial value during the first hormonal therapy. PSAVd reflected the decreasing velocity of PSA during the first hormonal therapy. PFS was defined as the interval from the beginning of hormonal therapy to HRPC. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to evaluate whether PSAHL and PSAVd were significantly associated with PFS and OS. The median PSAHL and PSAVd were 0.50 months and 33.8 ng mL(-1) per month. The median PFS and OS were 22.7 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 22.0-29.6 months) and 43.5 months (95% CI, 37.9-48.4 months), respectively. On univariate and multivariate analysis, long PSAHL (> 0.5 months), metastatic disease, high biopsy Gleason scores (>or= 8) and high nadir PSA (> 0.4 ng mL(-1)) were all found to be significantly associated with short PFS. Long PSAHL, high nadir PSA and short PSA doubling time (PSADT Collapse

Key Words

• predictor
• prognosis
• prostate cancer
• prostate-specific antigen decreasing velocity
• prostate-specific antigen half-life

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MESH Headings

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• China
• Disease Progression
• Half-Life
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Proportional Hazards Models
• Prostate-Specific Antigen/blood
• Prostatic Neoplasms/blood
• Prostatic Neoplasms/immunology
• Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology
• Survival Analysis

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Affiliation(s)

Guo-Wen Lin Department of Urology, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
Xu-Dong Yao Department of Urology, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
Shi-Lin Zhang Department of Urology, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
Bo Dai Department of Urology, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
Chun-Guang Ma Department of Urology, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
Hai-Liang Zhang Department of Urology, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
Yi-Jun Shen Department of Urology, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
Yao Zhu Department of Urology, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
Yi-Ping Zhu Department of Urology, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
Guo-Hai Shi Department of Urology, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
Xiao-Jian Qin Department of Urology, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
Ding-Wei Ye Department of Urology, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China

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Hypermethylation of genes for diagnosis and risk stratification of prostate cancer

To identify the relevant CpG sites as molecular markers, for the diagnosis and to distinguish the indolent and aggressive prostate tumors, we have determined the methylation status of 8 genes, including FLNC, EFS, ECRG4, RARB2, PITX2, GSTP1, PDLIM4, and KCNMA1 in 32 nonrecurrent, 32 recurrent primary prostate tumors, and 32 benign prostate tissues using EpiTYPER technology. Specific CpG site hypermethylation of RARB2 and GSTP1 CpG sites were useful for diagnosis of prostate cancer. Furthermore, CpG site hypermethylation of genes FLNC, EFS, ECRG4, PITX2, PDLIM4, and KCNMA1 were associated with prediction of biochemical, local, and systemic recurrence of prostate cancer.

Pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) velocity and doubling time are associated with outcome but neither improves prediction of outcome beyond pretreatment PSA alone in patients treated with radical prostatectomy

PURPOSE

Controversy exists as to whether current pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) dynamics enhance outcome prediction in patients undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. We assessed whether pretreatment PSA velocity (PSAV) or doubling time (PSADT) predicted outcome in men undergoing radical prostatectomy and whether any definition enhanced accuracy of an outcome prediction model.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The cohort included 2,938 patients with two or more PSA values before radical prostatectomy. Biochemical recurrence (BCR) occurred in 384 patients, and metastases occurred in 63 patients. Median follow-up for patients without BCR was 2.1 years. We used univariate Cox proportional hazards regression to evaluate associations between published definitions of PSADT and PSAV with BCR and metastasis. Predictive accuracy was assessed using the concordance index.

RESULTS

On univariate analysis, two of 12 PSADT and four of 10 PSAV definitions were univariately associated with both BCR and metastasis (P < .05). One PSADT and one PSAV definition had a higher predictive accuracy for BCR over PSA alone, and four PSAV definitions improved prediction of metastasis. However, the improvements in predictive accuracy were small, associated with wide CIs, and markedly reduced if additional predictors of stage and grade were included alongside PSA. Modeling with random variables suggests that similar results would be expected by chance. CONCLUSION We found no clear evidence that any definition of PSA dynamics substantially enhances the predictive accuracy of a single pretreatment PSA alone.

Survival in surgically treated, nodal positive prostate cancer patients is predicted by histopathological characteristics of the primary tumor and its lymph node metastases

BACKGROUND

Histopathological risk factors for survival stratification of surgically treated nodal positive prostate cancer patients are poorly defined as reflected by only one category for nodal metastases.

METHODS

We evaluated biochemical recurrence-free survival (RFS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and overall survival (OS) in 102 nodal positive, hormone treatment-naïve prostate cancer patients (median age: 65 years, range: 45-75 years; median follow-up 7.7 years, range: 1.0-15.9 years) who underwent radical prostatectomy and standardized extended lymphadenectomy.

RESULTS

A significant stratification was possible, with the Gleason score of the primary and virtually all nodal parameters favoring patients with better differentiated primaries and metastases, lower nodal tumor burden, and without extranodal extension of metastases. In multivariate analyses, diameter of the largest metastasis (< or =10 mm vs. >10 mm) was the strongest independent predictor for RFS (P < 0.001), DSS (P < 0.001), and OS (P < 0.001) with a more than quadrupled relative risk of cancer related deaths for patients with larger metastases (Hazard ratio: 4.2, Confidence interval: 2.0-8.9; 5-year RFS/DSS/OS: 18%/57%/54%). The highest 5-year survival rates were seen in patients with micrometastases only (RFS/DSS/OS: 47%/94%/94%).

CONCLUSION

The TNM classification's current allocation of only one category for nodal metastases in prostate cancers is unsatisfactory since subgroups with significantly different prognoses can be identified. The diameter of the patient's largest metastasis (< or =10 mm vs. >10 mm) should be used for substaging because of its independent prognostic value. The substage "micrometastasis only" is also useful in nodal positive prostate cancer since it designates the subgroup with the most favorable outcome.

Systematic review of pretreatment prostate-specific antigen velocity and doubling time as predictors for prostate cancer

PURPOSE

Pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) dynamics (PSA velocity and PSA doubling time) are widely advocated as useful prognostic markers in prostate cancer. We aimed to assess the published evidence for the clinical utility of PSA dynamics in this population.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review of studies published before March 2007 in which a PSA dynamic (velocity or doubling time) was calculated in patients before definitive treatment, a subsequent event (such as biopsy or recurrence) was ascertained, and the association between the two was analyzed. Our principal end point was the type of analysis reported, particularly whether the predictive accuracy of a statistical model that included both absolute PSA level and a PSA dynamic was compared with that of a model that included only PSA.

RESULTS

Eighty-seven articles were eligible for analysis. The most common end points were biopsy (42 articles), and either recurrence (14 articles) or metastases or death (14 articles) after definitive therapy. Although PSA dynamics were generally found to be associated with outcome, only one article compared predictive accuracy of models with and without a PSA dynamic: this reported that PSA velocity improved prediction slightly (from 0.81 to 0.83), but was subject to verification bias. No article used decision analytic methods to examine the clinical impact of PSA dynamics.

CONCLUSION

There is little evidence that calculation of PSA velocity or doubling time in untreated patients provides predictive information beyond that provided by absolute PSA level alone. We see no justification for the use of PSA dynamics in clinical decision making before treatment in early-stage prostate cancer.

The role of metallothionein in oncogenesis and cancer prognosis

The antiapoptotic, antioxidant, proliferative, and angiogenic effects of metallothionein (MT)-I+II has resulted in increased focus on their role in oncogenesis, tumor progression, therapy response, and patient prognosis. Studies have reported increased expression of MT-I+II mRNA and protein in various human cancers; such as breast, kidney, lung, nasopharynx, ovary, prostate, salivary gland, testes, urinary bladder, cervical, endometrial, skin carcinoma, melanoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and pancreatic cancers, where MT-I+II expression is sometimes correlated to higher tumor grade/stage, chemotherapy/radiation resistance, and poor prognosis. However, MT-I+II are downregulated in other types of tumors (e.g. hepatocellular, gastric, colorectal, central nervous system (CNS), and thyroid cancers) where MT-I+II is either inversely correlated or unrelated to mortality. Large discrepancies exist between different tumor types, and no distinct and reliable association exists between MT-I+II expression in tumor tissues and prognosis and therapy resistance. Furthermore, a parallel has been drawn between MT-I+II expression as a potential marker for prognosis, and MT-I+II's role as oncogenic factors, without any direct evidence supporting such a parallel. This review aims at discussing the role of MT-I+II both as a prognostic marker for survival and therapy response, as well as for the hypothesized role of MT-I+II as causal oncogenes.

Clinical Impact of New Prostate-Specific Antigen WHO Standardization on Biopsy Rates and Cancer Detection

Background: Clinicians may be unaware that replacement of the historical total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA) standard with the WHO 96/670 international standard leads to difficulties in interpreting tPSA results. Our aim was to investigate the relationship between the Hybritech and WHO calibrations of the Beckman Coulter tPSA assay, and to assess the impact on prostate cancer (PCa) detection.

Methods: tPSA concentrations were measured in 106 serum samples with both Hybritech and WHO calibrations. The established relationships were used for an in silico experiment with a cohort of 5865 men. Differences in prostate biopsy rates, PCa detection, and characteristics of missed cancers were calculated at biopsy thresholds of 3.0 and 4.0 μg/L.

Results: A linear relationship was observed between the 2 calibrations, with a 20.3% decrease in tPSA values with the WHO standard compared with the Hybritech calibration. Applying the WHO calibration to the cohort of 5865 men yielded a 20% or 19% decrease in prostate biopsies and a 19% or 20% decrease in detected cancers compared with the Hybritech calibration, at a cutoff for biopsy of 3.0 or 4.0 μg/L, respectively. The decrease in detected cancers declined to 9% or 11% if an abnormal result in a digital rectal examination or a transrectal ultrasound evaluation was used as trigger for prostate biopsy (cutoff of 3.0 or 4.0 μg/L, respectively).

Conclusions: Application of the WHO standard for tPSA assays with commonly used tPSA thresholds leads to a significant decrease in PCa detection. Careful assessment of the relationship between the WHO standard and the thresholds used for prostate biopsy is hence necessary.

Determining if pretreatment PSA doubling time predicts PSA trajectories after radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer

INTRODUCTION

To determine if pretreatment PSA doubling time (PSA-DT) can predict post-radiation therapy (RT) PSA trajectories for localized prostate cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Three hundred and seventy-five prostate cancer patients treated with external beam RT without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) were identified with an adequate number of PSA values. We utilized a linear mixed model (LMM) analysis to model longitudinal PSA data sets after definitive treatment. Post-treatment PSA trajectories were allowed to depend on the pre-RT PSA-DT, pre-RT PSA (iPSA), Gleason score (GS), and T-stage.

RESULTS

Pre-RT PSA-DT had a borderline impact on predicting the rate of PSA rise after nadir (p=0.08). For a typical low risk patient (T1, GS6, iPSA 10), the predicted PSA-DT post-nadir was 21% shorter for pre-RT PSA-DT<24month compared to pre-RT PSA-DT>24month (19month vs. 24month). Additional significant predictors of post-RT PSA rate of rise included GS (p<0.0001), iPSA (p<0.0001), and T-stage (p=0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

We observed a trend between rapidly rising pre-RT PSA and the post-RT post-nadir PSA rise. This effect appeared to be independent of iPSA, GS, or T-stage. The results presented suggest that pretreatment PSA-DT may help predict post-RT PSA trajectories.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) kinetics in untreated, localized prostate cancer: PSA velocity vs PSA doubling time

OBJECTIVES

To compare the accuracy of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) velocity (PSAV) vs PSA doubling time (DT) for predicting the repeat biopsy results in men with localized prostate cancer on active surveillance (AS), as the utility of PSAV vs PSADT in untreated prostate cancer has not been well studied.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eligible patients had favourable-risk localized prostate cancer (T1/2a, PSA level <or=15 ng/mL, Gleason score <or=3 + 4, and percentage positive biopsy cores <or=50%), and consented to AS between 2002 and 2005. Repeat biopsies were taken after 18-24 months, with adverse histology defined as any of: primary Gleason grade >or=4, >50% cores positive, or initial Gleason score 3 + 3 upgraded to >or=3 + 4. Using all PSA values for the 2 years preceding repeat biopsy, the PSAV and PSADT were calculated using linear regression and the log-slope method (DT = ln2/slope), respectively.

RESULTS

In all, 199 patients were assessable; the median PSAV and PSADT were 0.71 ng/mL/year and 5.29 years, respectively. Fifty-three patients (27%) had adverse histology on repeat biopsy. On univariate analyses, PSAV (P < 0.001) and PSADT (P = 0.019) were associated with adverse histology. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for predicting adverse histology was 0.70 and 0.63 for PSAV and PSADT, respectively. The mean difference was 0.07 (95% confidence interval 0.03-0.12; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

PSAV is more accurate than PSADT for predicting adverse histology on repeat biopsies. These data suggest that PSAV should be used in preference to PSADT to describe PSA kinetics in untreated, localized prostate cancer.

How often do available preoperative risk factors accurately predict the risk assessed after surgery for localized prostate cancer?

OBJECTIVE

To describe how frequently new information obtained at surgery translates into a substantial change in the risk of recurrence for patients with localized prostate cancer, and to determine what factors contribute to this increase in risk, as the preferred therapy for prostate cancer is often chosen based on available preoperative variables and therefore appropriate decision-making requires an accurate preoperative assessment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Using the Columbia Comprehensive Clinical Database of Urologic Oncology, we retrospectively analysed 3460 men who had radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer from 1988 to 2006. Kattan nomograms were used to calculate the 5-year progression-free probabilities before and after RP. The difference between these nomogram scores was used to divide patients into three groups, those with a decrease in the probability of disease-free survival (DFS) of > or =15%, those with an increase in the probability of DFS of > or =15%, and those with an absolute change of <15%.

RESULTS

In all, 1804 men with complete data before and after RP were analysed; 1220 (68.4%) had no significant change in nomogram score, 238 (13.3%) had a significant increase and 327 (18.3%) had a significant decrease in the probability of recurrence. Those patients with an increased probability of recurrence had a greater proportion of patients with pathological Gleason sum of > or =8, higher rates of extraprostatic capsular invasion, positive margins, seminal vesical invasion and lymph node involvement (all P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Accurate risk predictions both before and after RP are central to effective patient counselling and optimal management. Notably, 13.3% of the present patients were faced with a substantial increase of > or =15% in their risk of biochemical failure after pathological variables became available.

PSA doubling time versus PSA velocity to predict high-risk prostate cancer: data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

BACKGROUND

Our group has previously shown that prostate-specific antigen (PSA) velocity (PSAV) is associated with the presence of life-threatening prostate cancer. Less is known about the relative utility of pretreatment PSA doubling time (PSA DT) to predict tumor aggressiveness.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the utility of PSAV and PSA DT for the prediction of life-threatening prostate cancer.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

From the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, we identified 681 men with serial PSA measurements.

MEASUREMENTS

Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between PSAV, PSA DT, and the presence of high-risk disease.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

Within the period of 5 yr prior to diagnosis, PSAV was significantly higher among men with high-risk or fatal prostate cancer than men without it. By contrast, PSA DT was not significantly associated with high-risk or fatal disease. On multivariate analysis, including age, date of diagnosis, and PSA, the addition of PSAV significantly improved the concordance index from 0.85 to 0.88 (p<0.001), whereas PSA DT did not.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that PSAV is more useful than PSA DT in the pretreatment setting to help identify those men with life-threatening disease.