Age-specific PSA reference ranges in Chinese men without prostate cancer

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Andrology
• Biostatistics

Background:

• Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a key biomarker for prostate health.
• Existing PSA reference ranges may not accurately reflect diverse ethnic populations.
• Establishing population-specific ranges is crucial for accurate prostate cancer (PC) screening.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine age-specific prostate-specific antigen (PSA) distributions in Chinese men without prostate cancer (PC).
• To propose new, culturally relevant PSA reference ranges for Chinese men.
• To compare these findings with existing international PSA reference ranges.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 9,374 adult men aged 18-96 years was recruited between September 2003 and December 2006.
• After excluding prostate cancer (PC) cases, 8,422 men were included in the statistical analysis.
• Men were stratified into five age groups, and descriptive statistics, including quartiles and 95th percentiles, were calculated.

Main Results:

• Age-specific PSA reference ranges were determined for Chinese men: 40-49 years (2.15 ng/mL), 50-59 years (3.20 ng/mL), 60-69 years (4.10 ng/mL), and 70-79 years (5.37 ng/mL).
• Significant ethnic variations in PSA levels were observed.
• The study highlights the inadequacy of Oesterling's age-specific PSA reference ranges for Chinese men.

Conclusions:

• Ethnic differences in PSA levels are evident, necessitating population-specific reference ranges.
• The proposed age-specific PSA reference ranges are more appropriate for Chinese men than existing international standards.
• Accurate PSA reference ranges are vital for effective PC diagnosis and management in diverse populations.