Age-Specific Reference Ranges for Serum Prostate-Specific Antigen in Black Men

Abstract

Serum PSA concentrations can be used to discriminate between men with prostate cancer and those without it among both blacks and whites. Over 40 percent of cases of prostate cancer in black men would not be detected by tests using traditional age-specific reference ranges, which maintain specificity at 95 percent. In this high-risk population, the alternative approach--maintaining sensitivity at 95 percent--may be used with acceptable decrements in specificity.