OBJECTIVE: To standardize interpretation and comments of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) assay results by clinical pathology laboratories in office practice. MATERIAL: From September 2004 to May 2006, interpretation and comments of PSA assay results performed by 100 different laboratories were analysed retrospectively. RESULTS: Nineteen different PSA assay kits were used. The so-called "normal" value for total PSA was less than 4 ng/ml for two-thirds of kits. Determination of the free PSA/total PSA ratio (91 cases) was based on a cut-off value ranging from 10 to 25% and the frequent laboratory comments (89 cases) more often referred to benign prostatic hyperplasia (51 case) than prostate cancer (nine cases). CONCLUSION: The marked diversity of PSA assay techniques currently used and the divergent interpretations by various laboratories lead to problems of interpretation for both practitioners and patients.
OBJECTIVE: To standardize interpretation and comments of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) assay results by clinical pathology laboratories in office practice. MATERIAL: From September 2004 to May 2006, interpretation and comments of PSA assay results performed by 100 different laboratories were analysed retrospectively. RESULTS: Nineteen different PSA assay kits were used. The so-called "normal" value for total PSA was less than 4 ng/ml for two-thirds of kits. Determination of the free PSA/total PSA ratio (91 cases) was based on a cut-off value ranging from 10 to 25% and the frequent laboratory comments (89 cases) more often referred to benign prostatic hyperplasia (51 case) than prostate cancer (nine cases). CONCLUSION: The marked diversity of PSA assay techniques currently used and the divergent interpretations by various laboratories lead to problems of interpretation for both practitioners and patients.
Authors: Cristiano Linck Pazeto; Thiago Fernandes Negris Lima; Jose Carlos Truzzi; Nairo Sumita; Jose de Sa; Fernando R Oliveira; Sidney Glina Journal: Int Braz J Urol Date: 2018 Nov-Dec Impact factor: 1.541