Are men with larger prostates and bothersome voiding symptoms less likely to have significant prostate cancer?

Abstract

4656 Background: Gleason Sum (GS) predicts clinically significant prostate cancer (CAP) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) survival in men undergoing prostatectomy for CAP. BPH can also elevate PSA. Objective: evaluate prostate gland volume (PV) and American Urologic Symptom Score (AUASS) in men undergoing prostate needle biopsy (PNB) to detect CAP. Analysis endpoints: 1) CAP and 2) GS ≥7. Methods: From 1/2000–7/2005, 1,078 men undergoing PNB were prospectively examined. Urinary voiding symptoms were measured by AUASS. All men were examined by 1 surgeon: DRE and Transrectal Ultrasound (TRUS) were given levels of suspicion (LOS) from 1 = low suspicion (smooth DRE, homogeneous TRUS) to 5 = high suspicion (hard DRE, hypoechoic lesion). LOS ≥3 was abnormal. Prebiopsy parameters: PSA, DRE, age, race, biopsy history, prostate volume (PV), TRUS lesion, and AUASS. All men had 10-core biopsy. 1) Predictors for CAP were evaluated by Univariate (UVA) and multivariate (MVA) analysis (logistic regression) for 1,078 men. 2) Predictors for GS≥7 were evaluated in men with no prior biopsy (NOPB). Results: Median PSA = 5.4 ng/ml (mean 10.4), 38% and 52% had abnormal TRUS & DRE respectively. Mean patient age = 64 years. Mean AUASS = 10.4. Positive biopsy rate = 38%. AUASS: 47% had low symptoms scores (<7), 39% had moderate scores (8–19), and 14% had severe scores (20–35). UVA & MVA (N = 1,078) showed that PSA was not an independent predictor of CAP (p = 0.18), but abnormal DRE, age, low AUASS, no prior biopsy (NOPB), race (AA), abnormal TRUS, and low PV were all independent predictors (p < 0.03). Subset MVA analysis of men in PSA range of 2.5–10 (N = 738), demonstrated that low AUASS (p = 0.05) & low PV (p = 0.00001) were predictors of CAP, while DRE, NOPB, and age were also independent predictors. MVA of men with NOPB (N = 790), indicated that low PV, PSA, DRE, and Age were independent predictors for CAP (p < 0.0001). The multivariate risk of having GS ≥7 on biopsy was independently associate with both low PV (p = 0.001) and abnormal DRE (p = 0.001). The relationship between PV and GS ≥7 showed that for every 1 cc increase in gland volume the risk of GS ≥7 CAP decreases by 2.2%. Conclusions: Men with smaller prostates are more likely to have cancer and are more likely to have significant disease. No significant financial relationships to disclose.