The Use of Prostate-Specific Antigen in Staging Patients With Newly Diagnosed Prostate Cancer

Abstract

For patients with newly diagnosed, untreated prostate cancer, a serum PSA concentration of 10.0 micrograms/L or less, and no skeletal symptoms, a staging radionuclide bone scan does not appear to be necessary. This clinical situation applies to 39% of all patients presenting with newly diagnosed prostate cancer. Since more than 130,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, approximately 50,000 patients are affected annually. If the $600 staging bone scan were eliminated for these patients, a significant economic savings to the health care system in this country would be effected.