Prostate-specific antigen velocity in diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer - a systematic review

Prostate-specific antigen velocity (PSAV) is widely used to detect PC and predict its progression. In this study, we qualitatively synthesized the currently available evidence from published studies regarding the PSAV role in PC. Electronic databases were searched to find relevant articles published until January 2019. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to identify related papers. Eventually, data extraction followed by evidence synthesis was conducted. Full-text screening resulted in 42 included studies. Multiple definitions and intervals were used for PSAV calculation across studies. Results from the included studies were conflicting regarding the role of PSAV in detecting PC and predicting progression in active surveillance cases. However, there is evidence that PSAV may have a predictive role in post-treated men. There is no clear-cut evidence from the published literature to support the use of PSAV in clinical practice.