Publication
Galasso F, Giannella R, Bruni P, Giulivo R, Ricci Barbini V, Disanto V, Leonardi R, Pansadoro V, Sepe G. Arch Ital Urol Androl 2010;82:5-9
- This prospective, multi-centre, real-life practice study in 925 men who had a PCA3 test and of whom 105 had a (repeat) prostate biopsy confirms that an increased PCA3 Score is associated with an increased probability of a positive biopsy
- The Italian Urologist Association of Private Hospitals (UrOP) study included 925 men who received the PCA3 test from December 2008-January 2010; of the 443 men with a PCA3 Score ≥ 35, 105 men had a prostate biopsy (of whom 27% underwent a repeat biopsy)
- The informative rate (percentage of urine samples containing sufficient PSA and PCA3 mRNA for calculation of PCA3 Score) was 99% (915/925), showing that the PCA3 test is robust
- Of 105 men with a PCA3 Score ≥ 35 undergoing a (repeat) biopsy, 39% had a positive biopsy, 35% had high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) or atypical small acinar proliferation (ASAP) and 26% had a negative biopsy
- Mean and median PCA3 Scores were significantly higher in men with a positive (repeat) biopsy compared to those with a negative (repeat) biopsy (Figure)
- The mean and median PCA3 Scores for men diagnosed with ASAP/HGPIN at biopsy were intermediate between the groups of men with a negative and positive biopsy (Figure)
- An increasing PCA3 Score was associated with an increasing probability of a positive (repeat) biopsy
- It was concluded that this study shows that the PCA3 Score correlates with the probability of a positive biopsy and thus confirms the role of the PCA3 Assay as a valid tool for predicting biopsy outcome. It may also identify men at risk of developing prostate cancer as the PCA3 Score was higher in men with HGPIN compared to those without
More information: Article at PubMed