Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) As A Tumor Marker For Detecting Prostate Cancer In A Sample Of Syrian Patients

Abstract

Prostate cancer (PC) is a hormone-dependent malignant tumor often originating from epithelial cells in the prostate gland. It is the second most common cancer among men and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Its variable clinical behavior makes early detection critical to improving prognosis. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a key tumor marker used in diagnosis and follow-up. This study evaluated the PSA test’s effectiveness in detecting PC and analyzed its relationship with tumor stage, age, smoking, and body mass index (BMI). Fifty participants (25 patients and 25 healthy individuals) were included to assess diagnostic performance; correlations with clinical variables were analyzed in confirmed cancer patients only. The total PSA test showed 96% sensitivity and 88% specificity at a 4 ng/ml threshold. A significant positive correlation was found between PSA and both tumor stage and age; no significant correlation was found with smoking, and a slight inverse correlation was noted with BMI. These results suggest PSA is effective for early PC detection when used alongside complementary diagnostic tools to support clinical decision-making