前列腺健康指數組合 (PHI)

Update: 28th May 2020

 

New in-house test : Prostate Health Index (PHI 前列腺健康指數組合)


Prostate cancer is the fourth leading cause of male cancer in Hong Kong and the incidence is
increasing at the fastest rate among all cancers affecting men. Although total Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test is widely used as a screening tool for prostate cancer, its level will also be affected by benign prostatic conditions (e.g. benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatitis) and often leads to unnecessary prostate biopsies.

 

Prostate Health Index (PHI) is a score calculated from the 3 PSA isoforms {PSA, free PSA,
p2PSA}. The higher the PHI score, the higher probability of finding clinically-significant prostate cancer upon prostate biopsy.

 

This test has the following advantages:

  • In 2012, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved PHI as a screening tool of prostate cancer in men above 50 years old with a PSA level of 2 - 10 ng/mL and normal DRE.
  • Local studies have shown that PHI is a good predictor of prostate biopsy outcome. With a better sensitivity and specificity, PHI is useful to avoid over 40% of unnecessary prostate biopsies in patients with PSA level of 2 – 10 ng/mL. (#)
  • PHI is not only a useful predictor of prostate biopsy outcome, it also identifies high-grade disease, predict adverse treatment outcome as well as aid to select the right candidate for active disease surveillance. It offers a better risk stratification and helps clinicians with a better clinical management of their patients. (&)

 

# Ng CF et al. (2014) The Prostate Health Index in predicting initial prostate biopsy outcomes in Asian men with prostate-specific antigen levels of 4-10 ng/mL. Int Urol Nephrol
^ Chiu PK, Ng CF et al. (2018) A multi-centre evaluation of the role of Prostate Health Index (PHI) in regions with different prevalences of prostate cancer: A different reference range is needed for European and Asian. European Urology Supplements & Lepor A et al. (2016) The Prostate Health Index : Its Utility In Prostate Cancer Detection. Urol Clin North Am.