Age-specific reference ranges for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in Jordanian patients

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Oncology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a key biomarker for prostate cancer screening.
• Establishing accurate, age-specific reference ranges for PSA is crucial for early detection and diagnosis.
• Previous studies have not fully defined these ranges for the Jordanian population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish normal distribution and age-specific reference ranges for total PSA (TPSA) and free PSA (FPSA) in Jordanian men.
• To evaluate the correlation of TPSA and FPSA levels with age.
• To determine the appropriate reference range for the FPSA/TPSA ratio.

Main Methods:

• Serum TPSA and FPSA levels were analyzed in 1852 Jordanian men (1993-2001), excluding those with diagnosed prostate cancer.
• Data were stratified by age groups to determine age-specific reference ranges using the 95th percentile.
• The ratio of FPSA to TPSA was calculated and analyzed for correlation with age.

Main Results:

• Age-specific reference ranges for TPSA and FPSA were established for various age groups (30-60+ years).
• Both TPSA and FPSA showed a significant positive correlation with advancing age.
• No correlation was found between the FPSA/TPSA ratio and age; the upper limit of normal for all age groups was determined to be 0.23.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully established appropriate age-specific reference ranges for TPSA and FPSA in Jordanian men.
• These established ranges and the fixed ratio limit can assist urologists in the diagnostic evaluation of prostate cancer risk.
• Implementing these parameters can improve the early detection of potentially curable prostate cancer.