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Body mass index does not predict prostate-specific antigen or percent free prostate-specific antigen in men undergoing prostate cancer screening.

Hutterer G, Perrotte P, Gallina A, Walz J, Jeldres C, Traumann M, Suardi N, Saad F, Bénard F, Valiquette L, McCormack M, Graefen M, Montorsi F, Karakiewicz PI

Cancer Prognostics and Health Outcomes Unit, University of Montreal Health Center, 1058, rue St-Denis, Montréal, Que, Canada.

OBJECTIVES: Body mass index (BMI) may alter serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) and percent free PSA (%fPSA) and may mask the risk of prostate cancer. We investigated the relationship between BMI and PSA or %fPSA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Height, weight, PSA and %fPSA were assessed in 616 consecutive screened men without prostate cancer. Continuously coded and categorised BMI was studied. Statistical analyses consisted of ANOVA, linear regression, bivariate and partial correlations. RESULTS: Median age was 57 years. Median PSA was 1.0 and median %fPSA was 26. Median BMI was 25.8 kg/m(2). Neither continuously coded nor categorised BMI correlated with either PSA or %fPSA in unadjusted or age-adjusted analyses (all p values > or = 0.3). CONCLUSIONS: Body mass index does not affect PSA or %fPSA in men without known prostate cancer, who undergo prostate cancer screening. Therefore, PSA or %fPSA-based screening or early detection efforts do not require an adjustment for BMI.

Published 23 April 2007 in Eur J Cancer, 43(7): 1180-7.
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