Evaluation of Men on Finasteride

The 1996 review evaluated the effects of finasteride, an orally active type II 5 alpha-reductase (5 alpha R) inhibitor, on men. The drug was found to block the conversion of testosterone (T) to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which resulted in reduced prostate volume and serum levels. This made finasteride effective in managing benign prostatic hyperplasia. Patients on finasteride were recommended to be monitored with periodic digital-rectal examination (DRE) and serum PSA measurement. If patients showed a sustained increase in serum PSA or an abnormal DRE, additional evaluation was required. The review found no evidence that finasteride use had an adverse effect on prostate cancer detection, as long as the drug's effect on serum PSA was recognized and accounted for.