EFFECTS OF CHRONIC PROSTATITIS ON PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGEN

In this study we aimed to evaluate the effect of prostatitis on prostate specific antigen

Transrectal ultrasound guided biopsies were obtained in 1065 patients whose digital rectal examinations were malignant/ benign and/or whose PSA levels were >4 ng/ml. None of the patients had a prostatic, urethral or rectal manipulation up to 4 weeks prior to Transrectal ultrasound guided biopsies. Patients were grouped as prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or prostatitis (±BPH) according to their histopathological evaluations. The correlation between the histopathological group and PSA was analyzed.

Histopathologically, 624(%58) patients had BPH, 189 (%18) prostate cancer and 252 (%24) patients chronic prostatitis. The mean PSA levels in patients with BPH, prostate cancer and prostatitis were 12.72±10.27, 25.35±24.68 and 14.31±9.91 respectively. When Mann-Whitney test was applied for statistical analysis, a statistically significant difference was found between the groups, BPH group being the lowest and prostate cancer group being the highest. The rise in PSA levels in patients with prostatitis was lower than those with prostate cancer and higher than BPH group in a statistically significant manner.

PSA is known to increase in benign prostatic processes such as inflammation or hyperplasia as well as prostate cancer. The relatively high PSA levels in the Turkish population may be explained by insufficient hygiene and the resulting prostatic infections. However, this should not limit the prostatic biopsy indications since existence of prostatitis or hyperplasia does not rule out the co-existence of a cancer.