The utility of serum prostatic-specific antigen in the management of men with benign prostatic hyperplasia

Several analyses have demonstrated a clinically useful relationship between serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) and prostate volume in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Both prostate volume and serum PSA predict certain aspects of the natural history of LUTS and BPH, and men with higher PSA and larger glands in general have a higher rate of progression measured by various parameters. Serum PSA also predicts the response to certain types of medical therapy in men with LUTS and BPH and is thus useful in the evaluation and management of these patients. Lastly, serum PSA does not loose its usefulness as a cancer marker for prostate cancer even if certain medications reduce serum PSA values predictably by 50%.