Re: Detection of Life-Threatening Prostate Cancer with Prostate-Specific Antigen Velocity during a Window of Curability

摘要

The authors use data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Ageing to identify prostate-specific antigen velocity (PSAV) cut-off levels, which might predict potential death from prostate cancer hopefully still during a phase of curability. PSAV was evaluated in 856 men without prostate cancer, 104 with prostate cancer who were alive or died from other causes, and 20 who died from prostate cancer. Duration of follow-up amounted to a maximum of 39 yr. PSAV was evaluated 10-15 yr and 5-10 yr prior to diagnosis. At this time most men had PSA levels <4.0 ng/ml. PSAV measured during both time periods was related to prostate cancer-specific survival. Men who presented with a PSAV < and >0.35 ng/ml/ yr experienced a prostate cancer-specific survival of 92% as opposed to 54%, respectively. The authors conclude that PSAV identifies men with life-threatening disease and hope that PSAV will be suitable to identify men with high velocities in time for potentially curative management.