No abstract

Serum PSA is a stronger predictor of growth of the prostate in placebo treated patients than age or baseline prostate volume. Since prostate volume is a risk factor for acute urinary retention and the need for BPH related surgery, the ability of PSA to predict prostate growth may be an important factor when considering individual treatment options for BPH. Such use of PSA represents a shift in paradigm away from focusing solely on symptoms of BPH toward a more comprehensive approach with consideration of predicting and preventing risk factors of BPH related outcomes.

Men with a positive family history of prostate cancer are known to be at increased risk for the disease; however, relatively little is known about their risk perceptions or screening behavior. To address these issues, the current study examined the relationship of family history of prostate cancer to perceived vulnerability of developing prostate cancer and prostate cancer screening practices. Participants were 83 men with a positive family history of prostate cancer and 83 men with a negative family history of prostate cancer. As predicted, men with a positive family history reported greater (p< or =0.05) perceived vulnerability of developing prostate cancer and stronger intentions to undergo screening (p< or =0.05). They also reported greater past performance of prostate-specific antigen screening and were more likely to request information about prostate cancer (p< or =0.05). Additional analyses indicated that perceived vulnerability mediated the relation between family history and intentions to undergo prostate cancer screening. Findings confirm the increased likelihood of men with a positive family history to undergo prostate cancer screening and suggest that heightened concerns about developing the disease are an important motivating factor.