Clinical Factors Affecting prostate-specific Antigen Levels in Prostate Cancer Patients Undergoing Radical Prostatectomy: a Retrospective Study

Abstract

Background: Since prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels can be influenced by some routinely available clinical factors, a retrospective study was conducted to explore the influence of obesity, smoking habit, heavy drinking and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on PSA levels in men with histologically confirmed prostate cancer. Patients & methods: We reviewed the medical records of 833 prostate cancer patients undergoing radical prostatectomy. Results: Serum PSA levels at the time of surgery were not associated with either BMI or history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or heavy drinking. Conversely, PSA levels were associated with smoking status. Conclusion: Among the clinical factors explored in this homogeneous population, only tobacco use was associated with PSA levels, which should be considered when using PSA-based screening in male smokers.

Lay abstract

Smokers with prostate cancer tend to show higher PSA levels at the time of radical prostatectomy. As higher PSA levels are associated with a worse prognosis, smoking habit may have a prognostic value in prostate cancer. Further studies are required to explore the underlying biology of this finding.

Keywords:

• BMI
• COPD
• Gleason score
• heavy drinking
• smoking habit
• total PSA

Author contributions

G Tarantino conceived the study, run statistics and wrote the manuscript. F Crocetto contributed to analyzing and interpreting data. CD Vito, M Creta and A Aveta collected and assembled data. C Imbimbo contributed to interpreting results and critically revised the paper. R Martino, SD Pandolfo and C Buonerba helped revising the manuscript. All authors read the paper and approved the content.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that ethical approval or informed written consent was unnecessary for this retrospective study.