The changing pattern of serum prostate specific antigen in patients with benigh prostatic hyperplasia after combined treatment with finasteride and α-blockers: The 3 year follow-up data

Purpose: Some recent studies have demonstrated that finasteride, a well-known 5 α-reductase inhibitor, can decrease prostate specific antigen (PSA) by approximately 50% during the first 1 year of treatment. We investigated how long-term treatment with finasteride and α-blockers impacts on the serum PSA level of men whose final diagnosis was benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Materials and methods: In a retrospective trial, we evaluated a total of 293 men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) that were suggestive of BPH. These men were divided into two treatment groups: group A was treated with α-blockers and group C was treated with a combination of finasteride and α-blocker. Comparisons of the two groups were performed by using independent t-tests. The changes in the PSA concentrations from baseline to the time of the final measurements were determined by repeated measures of ANOVA. Results: There was no significant difference in the baseline PSA between the two groups. A statistically significant reduction in the PSA levels was observed at 2 years in C group (p < 0.05), whereas any significant increase were not observed in group A (p > 0.05). In group A, the repeatedly measured PSA levels were 2.67, 2.40, 2.41 and 2.42, respectively. In C group, these were 3.22, 2.09, 1.81 and 1.71 respectively. Conclusions: Our data showed that there was no clinically significant effect of long term treatment with α-blocker on the PSA levels. However, finasteride had significant effect on the serum PSA level during first two years of treatment.