Effect of Finasteride on PSA and Histopathological Results in Patients Undergoing Prostate Biopsy

Abstract

Introduction: Prostate cancer management focuses on rapid diagnosis and treatment. The present study was performed to investigate the effect of finasteride on PSA changes and biopsy results. Material & Methods: This retrospective descriptive-analytical study included 98 patients between the ages of 50 and 75 years with PSA levels between 2.5 and 10 and negative DRE candidates for prostate biopsy. Patients were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of patients who consented to a prostate biopsy based on PSA levels. The second group of patients did not consent to prostate biopsy during referral. Moreover, they tended to delay prostate biopsy. At the end of the three-month period, patients who agreed to prostate biopsy were sampled. The effect of treatment on biopsy results and changes in PSA levels were compared between the two groups. (Ethic code: IR.UMSU.REC.1396.20) Findings: Three months after the initiation of the study, the mean PSA level was 3.43±6.11 ng/ml in the case group and 7.36±2.20 in the control group. This difference was statistically significant (P=0.031). After three months of finasteride, the mean total PSA level among those who tested positive for biopsy was 2.41±7.63 ng/ml and among those who tested negative for biopsy was 2.98±6.42 ng/ml. This difference was also statistically significant (P=0.046). Discussion & Conclusion: The use of finasteride in patients suspected of having prostate cancer for at least three months can lead to a correct decision regarding prostate biopsy and reduce the number of negative prostate cancer results in the biopsy, as well as the burden on the treatment system to use improper prostate biopsy.

Keywords

• bph
• finasteride
• prostate biopsy
• prostate cancer
• prostate-specific antigen