The Influence of Chlormadinone Acetate on the Total and Free Serum Prostate Specific Antigen Levels in Men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia / 대한비뇨기과학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Chlormadinone acetate (CMA) therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) may lower the serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) level. However, little is known about the effect of CMA on the total or free serum PSA levels of PSA. Such information would be important since PSA testing is useful for prostate cancer screening. Thus, we prospectively studied the effect of CMA therapy on the total and free serum PSA levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and BPH who were aged over 50 years were treated with 50mg CMA for 6 months. Men with a PSA level greater than 10ng/ml were excluded to reduce the likelihood of including cases of occult prostate cancer. Those with suspicious findings on the digital rectal examination and serum PSA testing were biopsied to rule out prostate cancer. alpha- blocking agents were permitted to treat the men with LUTS. Serum levels of the total and free PSA were measured at the study baseline and after approximately 3 and 6 months. The prostate volume (PV) was assessed by transrectal ultrasonography. RESULTS: The analysis included 170 patients with a mean age of 67.9 years, a baseline PV of 47.3ml and a baseline total PSA of 4.1ng/ml. The total PSA levels declined from 4.1ng/ml at baseline to 2.0ng/ml after 6 months of treatment (50.7% decrease, p<0.01). The mean percent free PSA (21% to 22% at baseline) was not significantly altered by CMA treatment. The PSA levels and PV at baseline did not affect the rate of decline of PSA. CONCLUSIONS: The total PSA serum levels decreased by an average of 50% during CMA therapy, but the percent free PSA did not change significantly. This information is potentially useful in the interpretation of the PSA data that's used for early detection of prostate cancer in the men receiving CMA.