Objectives: To examine the change in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and prostate volume (PV) in octogenarian men compared with those in septuagenarian men and evaluate the possibility of PSA as a surrogate marker for PV in octogenarian men.
Methods: A total of 441 men were recruited from whom random and selected oldest-old samples (age >or=85 years) from the Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging, which was a population-based, prospective cohort study on health, aging, and common geriatric diseases of Koreans >or=65 years old. Men in their 70s (n = 136, 70-79 years) and 80s (n = 125, 80-89 years) were included. The PV was measured by transrectal ultrasonography, and the PSA level was determined using immunoradioassay.
Results: No significant differences were found in the serum PSA levels between the men in their 70s and 80s (P = .128). However, the 95th percentile of the serum PSA level was 5.23 and 6.60 ng/mL in those in their 70s and 80s, respectively. The men in their 80s had a greater total PV and transitional volume than did men in their 70s (P = .026 and P = .009, respectively). The PV and PSA level correlated with age (P = .034), and the increase in PV stratified by PSA was statistically significant (P < .0001).
Conclusions: Although the PV had increased steadily in octogenarian men, the serum PSA level of men in their 80s did not show a significant difference compared with men in their 70s. We suggest that PSA is a good surrogate marker for PV, even in octogenarian men.