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PSA reduction (after antibiotics) permits to avoid or postpone prostate biopsy in selected patients

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Abstract

Microscopic foci of prostatitis may induce prostate-specific antigen (PSA) increase. PSA reduction after antibiotics might identify those patients in whom biopsy can be avoided. Ninety-nine patients received ciprofloxacin for 3 weeks, of whom 59 showed PSA reduction. Histology detected small foci of prostatitis in 65% of cases. Carcinoma was found in 40 and 20.3% of patients with unchanged or decreased PSA, respectively (P=0.03). No cancer was detected if PSA decreased below 4 ng/ml or more than 70%. Biopsy can be postponed, with a low risk of missing a cancer, if PSA decreases more than 70% or below 4 ng/ml.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the GSTU (‘Gruppo Studio Tumori Urologici’) Foundation for the kind support for the statistical analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular and Nephro-Urological Diseases, Institute of Urology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

    V Serretta, A Catanese, G Daricello, R Liotta & D Melloni

  2. Department of Statistics, GSTU (Gruppo Studi Tumori Urologici) Foundation, Palermo, Italy

    R Allegro

  3. Department of Human Pathology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

    A Martorana & F Aragona

Authors
  1. V Serretta
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  2. A Catanese
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  3. G Daricello
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  4. R Liotta
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  5. R Allegro
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  6. A Martorana
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  7. F Aragona
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  8. D Melloni
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to V Serretta.

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Supplementary Information accompanies the paper on the Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases website (http://www.nature.com/pcan)

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Serretta, V., Catanese, A., Daricello, G. et al. PSA reduction (after antibiotics) permits to avoid or postpone prostate biopsy in selected patients. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 11, 148–152 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.pcan.4500996

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.pcan.4500996

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