The effect (BMI) on serum total Prostate-Specific Antigen (tPSA) level
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The effect (BMI) on serum total Prostate-Specific Antigen (tPSA) levels and its effect on aggressiveness of prostate cancer
IRAS ID
207872
Contact name
Ashok Bhuvanagiri
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Liverpool
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 31 days
Research summary
Prostate cancer is the most prevalent male cancer in the UK, found commonly in older men and rare before 40. There are many risk factors predisposing to prostate cancer development and other than age, Body Mass Index (BMI), family history and ethnicity are the commonest. Most are non-modifiable, but diet and weight control may influence diagnosis and treatment.
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a blood protein, is used in the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Elevated PSA levels can indicate a pathological condition (inflammation, benign enlargement or cancer). PSA testing is currently done in different groups: men over 50 requesting the test, men with symptoms suggesting advanced prostate cancer, and men with urinary symptoms and abnormal feeling prostate.
Research has identified that high BMI can influence affect PSA level. Chemical factors in the blood of obese patients contribute to a “state” of chronic inflammation and thought to promote development of more aggressive prostate cancer. Other studies also indicate that high BMI is linked to decreased PSA levels.
Based on the above research data, our study makes three assumptions (1) Obese patients have lower PSA compared to individuals with normal/low BMI (2) High BMI is a risk factor for prostate cancer (3) Prostate cancer is more aggressive in obese patients.
The aims is, therefore, to look at patients diagnosed with prostate and (1) Compare PSA levels between three BMI subgroups (normal, overweight, obese) (2) Compare the aggressiveness of prostate cancers (using the Gleason Score grading system). It will also look at cancer aggressiveness in different age groups and how medical conditions (diabetes and hypertension) and lifestyle habits (smoking, alcohol consumption) impact on PSA levels.
The ultimate goal is to establish whether a different range of “normal” PSA levels should apply to obese patients thus enabling earlier diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.REC name
Wales REC 5
REC reference
16/WA/0190
Date of REC Opinion
18 Apr 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion