PSA Testing: Comparing Two Commonly Used Assays in Australia

What is it about?

This study aimed to compare the inter-method variability of PSA results in individual men and the influence on MRI eligibility using two widely used assays, Abbott and Siemens, in Australia. A total of 401 men were included, with results showing a high variability between the two assays, particularly in the PSA 2.5-5 ng/mL subgroup. This variability has a significant impact on clinical decision-making in prostate cancer management. The study highlights the need for further harmonisation efforts to obtain better clinical concordance among PSA assays.

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Why is it important?

The research highlights the significant impact of inter-method variability of PSA assays on clinical decision-making in the management of prostate cancer. Despite advances in standardisation, variability warrants further harmonisation efforts to obtain better clinical concordance. The study demonstrates that the Abbott Alinity assay produces consistently higher PSA results compared to the Siemens Atellica assay, which has the potential to increase investigations to rule out prostate cancer and create confusion in the application of PSA testing and guidelines. Key Takeaways: 1. The study compared two widely used assays in Australia, Abbott and Siemens, to determine inter-method variability of PSA results in individual men and the influence on MRI eligibility. 2. The Abbott Alinity assay produced consistently higher PSA results compared to the Siemens Atellica assay, which has implications for increasing the numbers of men who would qualify for an MBS-funded MRI scan. 3. The high variability of PSA assays warrants further harmonisation efforts to obtain better clinical concordance and uniform PSA limits on biopsy criteria.