PROSTATE-SPECIFIC ANTIGEN AND PROSTATITIS IN MEN UNDER 50

Objective: To evaluate the occurrence of increased prostate-specific a ntigen (PSA) serum concentration in patients with prostatitis and low incidence of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatic cancer, PSA wa s measured in a selected population Methods: PSA levels were evaluated in 72 patients with prostatitis under 50 years of age. Results: An in creased PSA (>4 ng/ml) was found in 5/7 (71%) patients with acute pros tatitis, and in 2/13 (15%) and 2/32 (6%) patients with chronic bacteri al and abacterial prostatitis, respectively. No patient with prostatod ynia had an increased PSA. In patients with bacterial prostatitis PSA level decreased to normal value after effective antibiotic therapy in most cases. Conclusion: Prostatitis must be considered when using PSA as tumor marker.