GU Cancers 2021 | 5-ARIs: impacts on prostate volume and PSA

James Kearns, MD, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, discusses the use of 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs), which prevent the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia and male pattern hair loss. 5-ARIs can cause a 25-30% reduction in prostate volume with the intention of relieving bladder outlet obstruction. After 6 months of 5-ARI therapy, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels can decline by roughly 50%. This interview took place during the 2021 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.