Purpose: The contribution of serial prostate specific antigen (PSA) determinations was studied to obtain better understanding of the natural history of clinically confined prostate carcinoma.
Materials and methods: Serial PSA determinations in 29 patients with untreated confined prostate carcinoma were correlated to the clinical course for a mean of 39 months.
Results: Disease progressed locally in 13 patients after a mean of 31 months. Metastatic progression was not observed. Neither grade, stage, PSA changes nor initial PSA showed significant differences with respect to interval of progression between patients with and without progression.
Conclusions: PSA does not parallel clinical progression in patients selected for watchful waiting.