ROLE OF PROSTATE CANCER ANTIGEN 3 (PCA3) BIOMARKER IN PROSTATE CANCER: COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW AND UPDATES

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death. This review explores the role of Prostate cancer antigen 3(PCA3) in prostate cancer diagnosis to reduce unnecessary biopsies and overtreatment in low-risk patients while guiding treatment for high-risk cases. Adding PCA3 to existing models like PSA and DRE has significantly improved detection accuracy, especially for high-grade cancers. PCA3 helps lower repeat biopsy rates while maintaining an acceptable level of missed high-grade disease. Its combination with mp MRI further enhances the negative predictive value. In the US, about one million prostate biopsies are performed annually, most showing benign results. Nearly 25% of malignancies are missed on the first biopsy, with detection rates dropping on subsequent biopsies. Molecular testing, like PCA3, could reduce unnecessary repeat biopsies and offer cost savings.