SIU 2017: Prostate Cancer Can Be Detected Even in Patients with Decreased PSA after Antibiotic Therapy

Lisbon, Portugal (UroToday.com) Aside from prostate cancer, prostatitis can cause an elevation of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). The authors attempted to evaluate whether a biopsy was needed after decrease of PSA upon administration of antibiotics. The authors compared the biopsy positive rate of the patients with decreased PSA after antibiotics administration, and patients who underwent the biopsy with a high PSA without the administration of antibiotics.

Overall, 262 people were included in the study. All patients had a PSA of more than 2.5 ng/ml and less than 10ng/ml and a normal digital rectal examination. Among these, 144 patients were given antibiotics and then underwent a biopsy. The rest of the patients (118) underwent a biopsy without being given antibiotics. Patients were stratified into 2 groups:

1. Group 1- patients who underwent a biopsy without being given antibiotics
2. Group 2 – patients were given antibiotics and then underwent a biopsy, after their PSA had decreased

The biopsy positive rate was similar in group 1 (30.5%) and group 2 (28.6%). 

The authors concluded that reduction of PSA after administration of a biopsy did not make a significant difference in the rate of prostate cancer. Therefore, according to the authors, there is no need to wait for the PSA to decrease after administration of antibiotics, before deciding to perform a biopsy due to a rising PSA. 


Presented by: Kim SW
Affiliation: Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul, South Korea

Written by: Hanan Goldberg, MD, Urologic Oncology Fellow (SUO), University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.Twitter: @GoldbergHanan at the 37th Congress of Société Internationale d’Urologie - October 19-22, 2017- Lisbon, Portugal