The pros and cons of prostate-specific antigen testing
Alexander I. Hinev (Bulgaria)
After its isolation in 1979, the prostate-specific antigen focused the interest of the urologists and soon became one of the most popular serum tumor markers. A large body of evidence, accumulated throughout the last two decades, convincingly proves that prostate-specific antigen is not only useful for marking the progress of prostatic carcinoma, but additionally has a potential role for the screening and diagnosis of this disease. This Dance Round briefly summarizes the various aspects of the clinical utility of prostate-specific antigen testing, the existing controversy due to its numerous limitations, and the current refinements in prostate-specific antigen levels, aiding to improve the specificity of the test. When all the pros and cons of prostate-specific antigen testing are evaluated, it becomes evident that the benefits of the test significantly outweigh its drawbacks.
Biomed Rev 2001; 12: 57-63
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Received 15 October 2001 and accepted 23 November 2001.
Correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Alexander I. Hinev, Clinic of Urology, Medical University, 55 M. Drinov Street BG-9002 Varna, Bulgaria Tel.: 359 88266125 Fax: 359 52 222 584,
E-mail: alexander_hinev@yahoo.com
