5-Alpha Reductase 2 as a Marker of Resistance to 5ARI Therapy
The study is being conducted to learn why some patients with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) do not respond to a commonly used treatment drug, Finasteride. The hope is to find ways to predict which patients will not respond to Finasteride so that, in the future, these patients can be identified prior to offering this treatment and they can be offered alternative treatment strategies in its place. The aim is to see if noninvasive techniques such as MRI can detect inflammation of the prostate to assist with early detection of those who will and who will not respond to Finasteride.
• Male (physiological);
• Age ≥ 50;
• Eligible for treatment with 5ARI therapy;
• Presence of lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to BPH;
• Prostate size \>40cc by digital rectal examination;
• Absence of prostate nodule, tenderness or firmness;
• Mildly elevated PSA's \>1.5 ng/ml and ≤ 40 ng/ml;
• Undergoing clinically indicated prostate biopsy for elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA).