Jerry Kao | PubMed Health

PubMed2002

Association between prostate cancer and serum testosterone levels.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the current study was to determine whether the presence of prostate cancer altered serum testosterone levels. METHODS: Initially, we evaluated both serum total and free testosterone levels in patients with either high-grade (n = 18) or moderate-grade (n = 146) prostate cancer, detected by prostate needle biopsies. Then both serum total and free testosterone levels, before and after prostatectomy, were compared in 79 of the 164 men with prostate cancer. RESULTS: In the first setting, serum total and free testosterone levels (307 +/- 24 ng/dl and 1.14 +/- 0.09 ng/dl) in patients with high-grade prostate cancer were significantly lower than those in patients with moderate-grade prostate cancer (452 +/- 12 ng/dl and 1.51 +/- 0.04 ng/dl) and those without prostate cancer (451 +/- 17 ng/dl and 1.55 +/- 0.06 ng/dl). After prostatectomy in 79 patients with prostate cancer, serum levels of both total and free testosterone (511 +/- 15 ng/dl and 1.78 +/- 0.05 ng/dl) were found significantly elevated when compared with their respective presurgical total and free testosterone levels (450 +/- 17 ng/dl and 1.60 +/- 0.06 ng/dl). CONCLUSION: Our findings show that serum total and free testosterone levels in patients with prostate cancer are altered, supporting the possibility that prostate cancer may inhibit serum testosterone levels.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Individual prostate biopsy core embedding facilitates maximal tissue representation.

PURPOSE: The probability of detecting small foci of prostate cancer is related to the amount of tissue represented. When multiple prostate biopsy cores are embedded in a single block, less tissue is evaluated because it is difficult to embed all cores in a single plane for optimal tissue representation. A computer simulation of sectioning biopsy cores was devised to examine the total surface area available at various angles of embedding and predict the ability to detect small tumor foci. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The computer simulation of biopsy core was done using commercially available software. Biopsy cores were represented as 3-dimensional cylindrical objects and the cutting blade was represented by a 2-dimensional plane. The intersection of the plane and cylinder represented the cut surface, which varied depending on cylinder angle and position. The simulation program calculates available surface area. RESULTS: Maximal surface area was obtained when the plane was horizontal to the long axis of the core. Any divergence of the cylinder from horizontal decreased the represented area. A single section through a 1 x 15 mm. biopsy core at 0 degrees yielded a surface area of 15 mm(2). The surface area was decreased to 13.3, 9.01 and 4.52 mm(2) at 3, 5 and 10 degrees, respectively. At a small focus of 0.6 mm. there was 100% detection under optimal circumstance, which decreased to 56.2% and 27.9% as the angle increased to 3 and 10 degrees, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Optimal sectioning, that is maximal surface area, of the core is obtained when a biopsy core is sectioned at a 0-degree angle, that is horizontal to its long axis. It is much more likely when each biopsy core is embedded individually. When multiple cores are embedded together, it is difficult to position all cores in the same plane since cores move to different planes and the cut surface of the cylinders substantially decreases. Thus, for optimal surface representation and cancer detection embedding individual cores is appropriate.

Biopsy, Needle↗