Abstract
Vigorous and prolonged physical exercise and mechanical involvement of the perineal
region might influence prostatic function and measurement of both total (PSA) and
free prostate specific antigen (fPSA), decreasing the diagnostic efficiency of the
laboratory screening for either benign or neoplastic prostate disorders in athletes.
To investigate the effects of regular and strenuous physical exercise with or without
bicycle riding on integrity and biochemical function of prostatic tissue, we measured
serum PSA and fPSA in 69 elite and professional cyclists, 31 members of the Italian
national cross-country ski team, and in 43 sedentary healthy controls. The concentration
of both PSA and fPSA did not differ significantly between sedentary individuals and
physically active cross-country skiers (PSA 0.43 ± 0.30 vs. 0.36 ± 0.25, ns; fPSA
0.16 ± 0.12 vs. 0.12 ± 0.12, ns) or cyclists (PSA 0.43 ± 0.30 vs. 0.36 ± 0.23, ns;
fPSA 0.16 ± 0.12 vs. 0.13 ± 0.08, ns), and the relative distribution of values appeared
almost overlapping. We hypothesize that neither a heavy and regular physical exercise
nor the extensive and prolonged mechanical involvement of the prostate region by the
bicycle riding have significant influence on release of both PSA and fPSA.
Key words
Prostate specific antigen - prostate cancer - physical exercise - bicycle riding -
screening
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MD Giuseppe Lippi
Istituto di Chimica e Microscopia Clinica, Dipartimento di Scienze Morfologico-Biomediche,
Università degli Studi di Verona, Ospedale Policlinico G.B. Rossi,
Piazzale Scuro, 10
37134 Verona
Italy
Phone: + 390458074516
Fax: + 39 04 58 20 18 89
Email: ulippi@tin.it