Related Experiment Videos
Role of PSA testing in multiphasic health screening
J C Png1, K J Akhtar, K H Tung
1Department of Surgery, National University Hospital, Singapore.
Singapore Medical Journal
|August 26, 1998
Summary
Multiphasic screening using Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) testing is common, but age-specific ranges improve accuracy. PSA testing is not recommended for men under 40 or over 80, enhancing prostate cancer screening effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Oncology
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Multiphasic health screening often includes Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) testing.
- Despite limitations, PSA testing remains prevalent in mass screening programs for prostate cancer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of PSA testing within multiphasic health screening.
- To establish local, age-specific reference ranges for normal PSA values.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of PSA levels in 695 male patients undergoing multiphasic screening.
- Repeated PSA testing, digital rectal examination (DRE), and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) biopsy for persistently high PSA.
- Calculation of age-specific PSA values at the 95th percentile.
Main Results:
- 14 (4.1%) patients had PSA > 4 ng/mL; 19 had abnormal levels using age-specific ranges.
- No abnormal age-specific PSA rates were observed in men aged 80 and above.
- No prostate cancers were detected in the study cohort; PSA values increased with age.
Conclusions:
- PSA testing is not recommended for men under 40 or asymptomatic men 80 and above.
- Age-specific PSA ranges reduce negative biopsy rates and improve screening efficacy in eligible age groups.
- Local age-specific PSA ranges can enhance the positive predictive value of PSA testing for prostate cancer detection.