Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41837413›Full record

ArticleBioMed research international2026

Urinary Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (EpCAM) as a Noninvasive Biomarker for Detecting Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer in Men With Equivocal PSA Levels.

Bismark Opoku Mensah, Linda Ahenkorah Fondjo, Paul Nsiah, Emma Edwards

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BioMed research international, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Bismark Opoku MensahDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Worcester, Worcester, UK, worcester.ac.uk.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9787-6575
Linda Ahenkorah FondjoDepartment of Molecular Medicine, KNUST School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kumasi, Ghana.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0252-3190
Paul NsiahDepartment of Chemical Pathology, University of Cape Coast Medical school, Cape Coast, Ghana.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9925-1015
Emma EdwardsDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Worcester, Worcester, UK, worcester.ac.uk.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3058-9894

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundProstate-specific antigen (PSA) is widely used for prostate cancer screening, but its limited specificity in the diagnostic "grey zone" (4-10 ng/mL) results in unnecessary biopsies. This study evaluated urinary epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), normalised to urinary creatinine, as a noninvasive biomarker for identifying clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) in men with equivocal PSA levels.

methodsThis cross-sectional study included 286 men with PSA levels of 4-10 ng/mL scheduled for prostate biopsy. Histopathological outcomes were classified using ISUP Grade Groups. Urinary EpCAM was quantified by ELISA, and diagnostic performance for csPCa was assessed using nonparametric analyses, ROC curves and logistic regression.

resultsUrinary EpCAM/Cr levels increased significantly across diagnostic categories and were highest in men with csPCa (p < 0.001). EpCAM/Cr showed strong discrimination for csPCa (AUC = 0.816), outperforming serum PSA and PSA density. In multivariable analysis, EpCAM/Cr (aOR = 1.07; 95% CI: 1.02-1.14; p = 0.009) and PSA density (aOR = 1.81; 95% CI: 1.20-3.18; p = 0.013) were independent predictors of csPCa, and EpCAM/Cr correlated positively with tumour aggressiveness (ρ = 0.609; p < 0.001).

conclusionUrinary EpCAM/Cr shows promise as a noninvasive biomarker for detecting csPCa in men with PSA levels in the diagnostic grey zone.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorEpithelial Cell Adhesion MoleculeProstate-Specific AntigenProstatic NeoplasmsAgedCross-Sectional StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedBiomarkers, TumorEPCAM protein, humanEpithelial Cell Adhesion MoleculeProstate-Specific AntigenISUP grade groupprostate cancerPSAPSA densityurinary biomarkerurinary creatinineurinary EpCAM

Identifiers

PMID41837413
PMCPMC13140382

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.