|
Foible No. 8. Inflammation of the prostate can cause marked increases in serum
PSA levels. The chart above shows the time course of total and %Free PSA levels
in serum of a 47 y.o. physician who presented with typical signs and symptoms of
acute prostatitis. His initial PSA was 27 ng/ml and % Free was only 6%. Both
levels are highly suggestive of prostate cancer, but with antibiotic therapy,
and the passage of many weeks, the levels returned to normal. Thus, inflammation
may be another cause of a false reading, if PSA were considered a prostate cancer
test, ie, Foible 8.
|
