Is Prostate Biopsy Recommended in Turkish Men with a Prostate-Specific Antigen Level between 2.5 and 4 ng/mL?

Prostate cancer is the most common solid tumor. The incidence of prostate cancer shows regional and racial differences. The ideal PSA threshold for prostate biopsy is still being debated.

We aimed to investigate cancer detection rates in Turkish men who underwent transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUSPB) who had prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in the range of 2.5 to 4.0 ng/mL and compare them with the rates of cancer in patients with PSA levels in the range of 4.0 to 10.0 ng/mL.

All Turkish men who underwent TRUSPB in our clinic between January 2012 and May 2014 were included; that is, 101 patients (Group 1) with PSA level in the range of 2.5 to 4.0 ng/mL and 522 patients (Group 2) with PSA level in the range of 4.0 to 10.0 ng/mL. Mean PSA level, age, prostate volume, and cancer detection rates were evaluated.

The mean age was 60.5 and 64 years in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively (P = 0.06). The mean PSA level was determined as 3.1 and 6.8 ng/mL in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively (P = 0.03). The cancer detection rate was 12.7% in Group 1 (n = 13) and 30.8% in Group 2 (n = 161), which revealed a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (P = 0.001). In Group 1, 9 of 13 patients (69%) had Gleason score of 6, 3 (23%) had Gleason score of 7, and 1 (8%) had a Gleason score of 8.

The cancer detection rate is lower in Turkish men with PSA level in the range of 2.5 to 4.0 ng/mL when compared with men with PSA level in the range of 4.0 to 10.0 ng/mL. Furthermore, most patients in whom cancer was detected who have a PSA level in the range of 2.5 to 4.0 ng/mL are low risk. Therefore, the benefit of TRUSBP in Turkish men with PSA level between 2.5 and 4 ng/mL is low.