Volume 10, Number 1Review ArticlesClinical Utility of Prostate Carcinoma Molecular Diagnostic TestsDiagnostic UpdateScott B ShappellInstead of relying on serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) to identify patients for prostate biopsy, new laboratory tests are needed that have improved specificity for prostate carcinoma (CaP), allow accurate classification of clinically insignificant CaPs, allow for detection of clinically significant CaP in patients without elevated serum PSA, and allow for identification of aggressive forms of CaP, which may warrant adjunctive or even molecularly targeted therapy in the future. Over the last several years, highthroughput gene expression profiling and proteinomics have led to the identification of genes and proteins that are specifically overexpressed in CaP. Molecular diagnostic techniques readily translated to the clinical laboratory have been incorporated into the development of new tests based on these novel molecular alterations in CaP. Some of these tests already have well-documented clinical utility, such as in facilitating prostate biopsy decisions, and are routinely available. The current review focuses on the biological, clinical, and laboratory aspects of the most promising of these current and nearfuture molecular CaP tests. [Rev Urol. 2008;10(1):44-69]Molecular diagnosticsProstate carcinomaProstate cancer antigen 3Alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemaseEarly prostate cancer antigenTransmembrane protease,serine 2ERGDNARNA