Questions and Answers
Can the PCA3 Score aid in the decision to perform a prostate biopsy in men who have known genetic variations linked to an increased prostate cancer risk (e.g. a BRCA2 mutation) either themselves or in their immediate family?
No systematic studies are reported on the role of PCA3 in men with known genetic variations linked to an increased prostate cancer risk such as a BRCA2 mutation. However, an elevated PCA3 Score can be an indication to perform a biopsy in this population (even if the prostate specific antigen (PSA) value is low (PSA level below 2 ng/mL)) since they have an increased risk for developing prostate cancer. It should be noted that next to the PCA3 score, other risk factors should also be taken into account to determine the risk of prostate cancer (e.g. age, digital rectal examination (DRE)).