A study appearing today in the journal Lancet Oncology finds that Propecia (1 mg/day finasteride) lowers prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels by as much as 40%-50% over 48 weeks.
TUESDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- The popular hair-loss drug Propecia can change the results of a common screen for prostate cancer, the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, leading to skewed readings that might obscure the presence of disease, a new study found. Men using Propecia "should be aware that their PSA will be falsely lowered" and that small changes upward could be signs of trouble, said study lead author Dr. Anthony D'Amico, chief of genitourinary radiation oncology at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. >Full Story: Healthday News
Commentary: It has been known that Proscar (5 mg/day finasteride) approved for benign prostatic hyperplasia can affect PSA levels, however, this new study demonstrates that the lower dose of finasteride used for hair-loss in men aged 40-60 years has similar affects. This is an important issue given that an estimated 4 million men at risk of prostate cancer have used Propecia to treat male-pattern baldness. Until such studies can be done to determine whether a lower PSA cutoff should be used or an increase above a certain nadir, the study authors suggest using the same recommendations for prostate-cancer screeing as suggested for Proscar (see Proscar Prescribing Information). Futher research is also needed to determine the effects of Propecia on PSA levels beyond 48 weeks of treatment.
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