Effect of Histological Inflammation on Total and Free Serum Prostate-Specific Antigen Values in Patients Without Clinically Detectable Prostate Cancer

PURPOSE: We are often confronted with patients in the "gray zone" (prostate-specific antigen [PSA]0.010). A correlation existed between inflammation type and fPSA (r=-0.31, p=0.001) and f/tPSA (r=-0.43, p<0.001) in that the fPSA and f/tPSA were lower in the group with more acute inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical inflammation has a significant influence on fPSA in patients with tPSA<10 ng/mL but without PC or clinical prostatitis. Subclinical inflammation is not characterized by elevated tPSA alone but also by a decreased fPSA, a tendency similar to that in PC.