Urinary cholesterol excretion in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia and carcinoma of the prostate

Urinary excretion of nonesterified (NEC) and total cholesterol (TC)
has been investigated in 79 patients with prostatic adenoma (BPH)
and 48 patients with carcinoma of the prostate. Normal range of NEC
was determined in 62 healthy individuals and was found to be
0.26-2.2 mg/24 hours (2 SD) with a mean value of 0.76 mg/24 hours.
TC ranged from 0.3-2.9 mg/24 hours with a mean value of 0.92 mg/24
hours. In benign prostatic hyperplasia normal values for NEC and TC
were determined in stages without residual urine. In contrast
patients with BPH and residual urine showed elevated NEC in 42.1%
and elevated TC in 61.4%. In prostatic carcinoma NEC hyperexcretion
was present in 44.8% of stage A and B and in 52.6% of stage C and
D. TC was elevated in 52.2% and 63.2%, respectively. Simultaneous
determination of NEC and serum acid phosphatase (SAP) gave a
pathologic result of at least one parameter in 51.7% of stage A and
B and in 84.2% of stage C and D. If TC and serum acid phosphatase
were combined, percentage of elevated values increases to 62.1 of
stage A and B and was identical with 84.2 of stage C and D. If BPH
with residual urine and other known conditions of urinary
cholesterol hyperexcretion in males, pluripotential malignant
testicular neoplasms and diseases of kidney and urinary tract, can
be excluded with reasonable certainty, both parameters may be of
value in diagnosis of prostatic cancer in even early clinical
stages of the disease, especially in combination with the
determination of SAP.