[Effect of cell differentiation in prostatic cancer on basal PSA]

The effect of cell differentiation on PSA production in patients with prostate cancer has been evaluated. With this intention 70 patients were included and were analyzed for age, T stage, cell differentiation, bone scan involvement and PSA level prior to therapy. In well-differentiated tumours mcan PSA was 31.3 ng/mL, 56.6 in those with moderate differentiation and 31.6 in poorly differentiated ones (p > 0.05). Multivariate analysis shows no significant differences between both variables, but and inverse relationship between cell differentiation and PSA production (r = -0.27, p > 0.05) can be seen. The most influential variable on PSA levels was de extent of bone scan involvement. Cell differentiation as confusion variable to interpret PSA values in poorly differentiated tumours deserves further study to know the exact role of this protein as a treatment response criterion in prostate cancer.