Serum-to-urinary prostate-specific antigen ratio in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer

Background: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is the single most important tu mor marker in early detection and monitoring of prostate cancer (CaP). Howe ver, routine analysis of serum PSA concentrations does not allow differenti ation between CaP and prostatic diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the usefulness of the serum-to-urinary PSA ratio in a clinical setting. Materials and Methods: In a retrospective clinical study, we deter mined serum and urine PSA concentrations in 48 patients with benign prostat ic hyperplasia (BPH) and 57 patients with histologically confirmed CaP. Res ults: The serum-to-urinary PSA ratio is able to discriminate BPH from CaP. Conclusions: Determination of the serum-to-urinary PSA ratio enhances the s pecificity of PSA in screening for CaP and monitoring of patients with CaP under androgen deprivation therapy.