The Role of Prostate Specific Antigen Monitoring after Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate

Abstract

Purpose: Prostate specific antigen screening for prostate cancer has recently been challenged due to poor sensitivity. In addition to prostate cancer, a number of conditions elevate prostate specific antigen, of which benign prostatic hypertrophy is most common. The objective of this study was to assess the positive predictive value of prostate specific antigen and prostate specific antigen density for prostate cancer risk following holmium laser enucleation of the prostate.

Materials and Methods: We queried an institutional review board approved database of holmium laser enucleation of the prostate performed at Indiana University from 1999 to 2018 to identify 1,147 patients with prostate specific antigen data available after holmium laser enucleation. A total of 55 biopsies after enucleation were recorded. Demographics, prostate specific antigen, prostate volume and oncologic details were analyzed. The primary outcome was biopsy proven prostate cancer.

Results: A total of 55 patients underwent transrectal ultrasound prostate biopsy for cause after holmium laser enucleation of the prostate. Cancer was identified in more than 90% of biopsied cases. Men with prostate specific antigen above 1 ng/ml at biopsy had a 94% probability of cancer detection and an 80% risk of clinically significant disease. Prostate specific antigen density above 0.1 ng/ml was associated with a 95% risk of cancer and an 88% risk of clinically significant cancer. Prostate specific antigen greater than 5.8 ng/ml or prostate specific antigen density greater than 0.17 ng/ml 2 was universally associated with biopsy proven cancer.

Conclusions: Prostate specific antigen and prostate specific antigen density have high positive predictive value for prostate cancer risk after holmium laser enucleation of the prostate. Thresholds for biopsy should be lower than in patients who do not undergo holmium laser enucleation. Those who undergo that procedure and have prostate specific antigen above 1 ng/ml or prostate specific antigen density above 0.1 ng/ml 2 are at higher risk for harboring clinically significant disease and should undergo biopsy. Referring physicians should be aware of these significant risk shifts.