The association between body size, prostate volume and prostate-specific antigen

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Andrology
• Public Health

Background:

• Prostate volume impacts lower urinary tract symptoms.
• Enlarged prostate can hinder accurate prostate cancer detection.
• Obesity is a growing public health concern with potential health implications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between obesity indicators and prostate volume.
• To examine associations between obesity, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and PSA density.
• To understand how body composition affects prostate metrics in men referred for biopsy.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 753 men referred for prostate biopsy.
• Data collected on body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio, and height.
• Analysis of prostate volume, PSA levels, and PSA density.

Main Results:

• Prostate volume increased by ~25% with higher BMI, waist, or hip circumference categories in men with negative biopsies.
• Higher waist-to-hip ratio was associated with 0.7 ng/ml lower PSA levels.
• Associations were less consistent in men diagnosed with high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia or cancer.

Conclusions:

• Obesity and height are independently associated with increased prostate volume.
• These findings suggest body composition influences prostate size, potentially affecting clinical assessments.
• Further research is needed to clarify these associations in diverse patient populations.