Observational studyWorld journal of urology2025
Role of prostate health index (PHI) in prostate cancer screening: cost minimization analysis through simulation modelling.
Observational study in World journal of urology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- PHI for adverse pathology and PHI density for upgrading: two complementary predictors in localized prostate cancer.Prostate cancer and prostatic diseases · 2026Article
- Beyond Total PSA: Clinical Significance of S2,3PSA% in Reducing Unnecessary Prostate Biopsies.International journal of urology : official journal of the Japanese Urological Association · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundProstate cancer (PCa) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer globally, with rising incidence rates, particularly in Europe. Prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing, often leads to overdiagnosis and unnecessary biopsies. This study aims to assess the cost-saving potential of incorporating the Prostate Health Index (PHI) as a biomarker in PCa screening programmes to reduce unnecessary biopsies and optimize costs in healthcare systems.
methodsA simulation model was constructed using data from an observational study in a clinical setting. PHI values were used to determine biopsy decisions in a simulated population of 10,000 men aged 50-70 with PSA levels 3-10 ng/mL. Logistic regression modeled the correlation between PHI and clinically significant PCa (csPCa). Three csPCa prevalence scenarios (10%, 20%, and 30%) were tested to assess cost-minimizing effects. Decision trees compared the PHI-guided biopsy approach to the conventional PSA-based strategy.
resultsThe PHI-guided approach reduced up to 49.7% negative and low-grade biopsies and demonstrated cost savings compared to the conventional PSA-based strategy. Use of PHI resulted in cost savings of €233 per patient in csPCa detection. The mean cost of the PHI pathway was €681, compared to €915 for the conventional PSA-based pathway. However, the study's reliance on synthetic data and the limited inclusion of MRI in the dataset may affect the generalizability of findings.
conclusionsIncorporating PHI into PCa screening could reduce overdiagnosis, unnecessary biopsies, and overall healthcare costs. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm PHI's role as a cost-effective reflex test and its integration into broader PCa screening strategies.
Indexed as
Identifiers
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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.