2003 Volume 94 Issue 6 Pages 603-607
(Purpose) Primary symptoms were reviewed retrospectively in patients with prostate cancer diagnosed in our hospital with the aim of promoting early detection.
(Materials and Methods) The subjects included 301 cases with prostate cancer diagnosed histologically in Nagoya Urology Hospital from August, 1988 to December, 2001. The mean age was 72.7 years, and the median PSA was 20.0ng/ml. Primary symptoms were classified according to the General Rule for Clinical and Pathological Studies on Prostate Cancer (The 3rd Edition).
(Results) Out of 301 cases, 274 (91%) visited our hospital with clinical symptoms. Of them, 272 had primary urological symptoms. In these 272 cases, 250 (92%) and 19 (7%) had lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and macroscopic or microscopic hematuria, respectively. The majority of patients (82%) referred from other urologists had already undergone PSA measurement, compared to 50% in those referred from physicians other than urologists (p<0.0005).
(Conclusion) The present data revealed that LUTS were important primary symptoms for the detection of prostate cancer, particularly in an area like Nagoya where the mass screening for prostate cancer is still unavailable. In terms of the early detection of prostate cancer, PSA has to be measured in patients with LUTS even when they visit physicians who are not urologists.
