Risk factors for prostate cancer incidence and the role of prostate- specific antigen and Gleason score as predictive markers
Fathia Gadri Jaat, Nadia Mohamed Kermani, Asma Faraj Bidos, Fadya Ramadan ShakhimObjectives:
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy among men worldwide and the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men. This study aimed to investigate the association between selected risk factors and prostate cancer and to evaluate prostate-specific antigen (PSA), haematological, and biochemical parameters as potential diagnostic markers.
Material and Methods:
This observational study was conducted at the National Cancer Institute, Sabratha, Libya, between January and October 2023. A total of 110 patients with histologically confirmed prostate cancer and 50 healthy controls were included. Demographic and clinical data were collected using structured questionnaires. Laboratory investigations included PSA levels and haematological parameters, while Gleason scores were obtained from medical records. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27.0.
Results:
The highest prevalence of prostate cancer was observed among patients aged 70–79 years (40.1%), followed by those aged 60–69 years (35.5%), while patients aged 50–59 years showed a lower prevalence (21.7%). Increasing age was significantly associated with a higher risk of prostate cancer. Most participants had a normal BMI (66.4%), while 22.7% were obese. Blood groups B + and O + showed the highest frequency (25.5%) among patients. Family history of prostate cancer was more common (50%) among patients with first-degree relatives, particularly among patients with PSA levels ≥14.4 ng/mL. Haematological analysis demonstrated significant reductions in red blood cell counts, haematocrit, and haemoglobin level among patients compared with controls, whereas mean corpuscular haemoglobin and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios were significantly increased.
Conclusion:
The findings suggest that PSA and selected haematological and microbiological parameters may have diagnostic value in prostate cancer and could assist in disease evaluation and clinical assessment.