Trial reportPloS one2018
The effect of 3-month finasteride challenge on biomarkers for predicting cancer outcome on biopsy: Results of a randomized trial.
Trial report in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT01296672 (Improving Prostate Biopsy Efficiency), which is not on this map. Cited by 5 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Improving Prostate Biopsy Efficiency: The Finasteride Challenge Test
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prostate zonal impact of 5α-reductase inhibitors on multiparametric MRI characteristics and detection of prostate cancer.BJU international · 2026Article
- A Scaled Proteomic Discovery Study for Prostate Cancer Diagnostic Markers Using ProteographInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2024Article
- Diagnosis of prostate cancer with magnetic resonance imaging in men treated with 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors.World journal of urology · 2023Article
- Article
- Variables Associated with False-Positive PSA Results: A Cohort Study with Real-World Data.Cancers · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundFinasteride, a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor may have effects on biomarkers such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) that could be leveraged to improve screening.
objectiveTo determine the predictive characteristics of biomarkers for prostate cancer for cancer on biopsy following 3 months of finasteride use compared with placebo. DESIGN, SETTING AND
participants383 men from multiple clinical sites with intermediate prostate cancer risk, without history of prostate cancer, were randomly allocated in a double-blinded manner, 4:1, to receive either finasteride or placebo for 90 days at which time a prostate biopsy was performed. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The primary outcomes were associations of biomarkers with prostate cancer that were tested using multiple logistic regression and area under the receiver operating curves (AUC). Biomarkers for PCA risk (PCA3, TMPRSS2:ERG (T2:ERG) gene product, and PSA) were measured at baseline and at biopsy in a blinded fashion to assess the predictive performance of baseline levels, 90-day levels, and measures of change relative to standard predictors. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: A total of 292 (233 finasteride; 59 placebo) randomized patients underwent biopsy and were analyzed. On finasteride, baseline and 90-day measures of PCA3 and T2:ERG had similar moderate discrimination capacity with AUCs 62 to 65% (p-values < 0.001 and 0.001, respectively), but their rates of change had no discrimination ability (AUC 51%, (95% CI 43 to 60% p = 0.72) and 48% (95% CI 44 to 60%, p = 0.62), respectively).) Relative to baseline, the 90-day PCA3 and PSA decreased in the finasteride group by 25% and 50%, respectively (both p<0.001). T2:ERG had a smaller, non-significant change post finasteride treatment (p = 0.08).
conclusionsShort-term finasteride therapy did not improve performance of the most commonly-employed prostate cancer biomarkers. Threshold values for new biomarkers of prostate cancer should be interpreted with caution in patients receiving finasteride until formal validation of test performance in these patients is conducted. PATIENT SUMMARY: Three months of finasteride treatment did not increase the accuracy for predicting the outcome on prostate biopsy but did have a significant effect on biomarker values. Adjustments to thresholds for biopsy for men on finasteride are proposed.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01296672.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.