New Research Shows PSA May Not be Enough to Catch Early Prostate Cancer



Prostate cancer, the most commonly diagnosed male cancer in the Western world, claims the lives of more than 30,000 American men each year, most of whom received their diagnoses when the disease was in its latest stages. However, several new studies have revealed key factors beyond serum Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) that may help doctors diagnose more cases of prostate cancer in its earliest stages, when the 10-year survival rate surges to nearly 98%.

's8220;Many men are surprised to learn that they are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than with any other cancer,'s8221; notes Dr. George Hollenberg, M.D., a leading NY-area pathologist and founder of Acupath Laboratories. 's8220;While there is widespread education on the benefits of regular screenings for other age-related high risk cancers like skin cancer and colorectal cancer, many men are unaware of their risk for developing prostate cancer as they age,'s8221; Dr. Hollenberg adds.

The incidence rate of prostate cancer has increased more than 200% since the 1970s, with a projected 189,000 new cases to come in the U.S. alone this year, according to the American Cancer Society. New research has identified several key factors that, when combined with PSA readings, may help doctors more accurately determine their patients's8217; risk profile for developing prostate cancer , and commence regular screenings earlier and/or at closer intervals to watch for changes to the prostate that may indicate early cancer.

In the first study, published in the April 2006 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio developed a risk-assessment calculator that predicts cancer risk more accurately than PSA levels alone. The new calculator analyzes PSA levels, Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) results, family history of the disease, age, race, previous biopsy results and other criteria. The second study, published in the online edition of Nature Genetics, provides evidence of a genetic link to prostate cancer , found by researchers at Iceland's8217;s Decode Genetics lab, which may account for up to 8% of all prostate cancer s.

's8220;These discoveries are critical steps forward in the effort to reshape the guidelines regarding prostate cancer screenings in order to catch even more cases in their earliest, most curable stages,'s8221; Dr. Hollenberg explains. Underscoring the need for earlier and more comprehensive screenings, and perhaps a more assertive approach to biopsying suspicious tissue in at-risk patients, is another study which was presented at this month's8217;s 41st Annual ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) meeting in Orlando, FL. Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center followed 520 men at high risk for developing prostate cancer , and found that 25% of those who eventually were diagnosed with the disease had a PSA level of less than 2.5 's8211; a level that would not prompt a biopsy or any additional testing under currently accepted guidelines within the medical community.

's8220;Fortunately, Americans are more engaged than ever before in their own health care and wellness,'s8221; Dr. Hollenberg notes. 's8220;The best advice for men over the age of 40 is to discuss their full panel of risk factors for prostate cancer with their doctors, and to advocate for their own best screening options,'s8221; he adds.

The prostate is a male sex gland that produces a fluid that forms part of the semen. About the size of a walnut, the prostate is located below the bladder and in front of the rectum. Compared with most cancers, prostate cancer tends to grow slowly and it may be decades from the time of the earliest cell changes detected under a microscope until the cancer causes symptoms. Early prostate cancer often doesn'st exhibit any symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they may include: Frequent urination, difficulty starting or stopping urination, inability to urinate, weak or interrupted flow of urine, painful or burning urination, painful ejaculation, blood in urine or semen, or persistent pain in lower back, hips or thighs.

About Dr. George Hollenberg
Dr. George Hollenberg, M.D. is an authority in the fields of pathology, clinical pathology and dermatopathology with expertise in the areas of dysplastic nevi, melanoma, prostate and gastrointestinal cancer. Board-certified in Pathology and Dermatopathology, Dr. Hollenberg is a Fellow of the College of American Pathologists, The American Society of Dermatopathology and the AMA. He has published articles on skin, prostate and gastrointestinal cancer, and is the Consultant in Dermatopathology to The North Shore University Hospital Center. As the founding director of Acupath Laboratories, Inc., Dr. Hollenberg supervises the analysis of tens of thousands of biopsies per year, using the latest cutting-edge technology in histology and immunocytochemistry, as well as the latest advances in computerized report preparation.





New Research Shows PSA May Not be Enough to Catch Early Prostate Cancer