VALUE OF PSA DENSITY IN CARCINOMA OF THE PROSTATE

The PSA density was calculated in 98 patients with carcinoma of the pr ostate by using the weight and/or volume of the radical prostatectomy specimen. In 22 of 98 patients, PSA serum levels ranged between 4 and 10 ng/ml. Eleven patients showed PSA serum levels below 4 ng/ml and 65 patients above 10 ng/ml. Sixty-one of the 65 patients with PSA serum levels > 10 ng/ml had PSAD values above 0.15, and we therefore suspect ed the presence of carcinoma of the prostate according to Benson et al . Twelve of the 22 patients with PSA serum levels between 4 and 10 ng/ ml had PSAD values below the cut-off value of 0.15. In addition, all 1 1 patients with PSA values < 4 ng/ml showed PSAD values < 0.15, a rang e that can be regarded as almost harmless according to Benson et al. I n conclusion, it seems apparent that in patients with PSA serum levels < 10 ng/ml, no important additional information is obtained from the PSAD determination. Routine measurement of PSAD for evaluating the ris k of carcinoma of the prostate in individual cases can therefore not b e recommended.