THE USE OF PROSTATE-SPECIFIC ANTIGEN AND PROSTATE-SPECIFIC ANTIGEN DENSITY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF PROSTATE-CANCER IN A COMMUNITY-BASED UROLOGYPRACTICE

Since 1989 we have used serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels a s an indication for ultrasound guided systematic biopsies of the prost ate. Realizing that the PSA level in part reflects prostatic glandular epithelial volume, we reviewed the accumulated data on our last 2,340 biopsies to determine if the quotient of PSA and prostatic volume, pr ostate specific antigen density, provided any further diagnostic infor mation. There were evaluable data for 2,020 patients. Prostate specifi c antigen density levels are shown to have a strong correlation with t he diagnosis of prostate cancer and provide a more reliable indication for ultrasound guided biopsy of the prostate than PSA alone.