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Clinical calculator summary

Original 2005 preoperative UCSF-CAPRA

A 0-10 additive pre-treatment score using age, PSA, biopsy grade, clinical stage, and positive biopsy cores.

Evidence-based context for fast calculator use

Purpose:
Stratify recurrence risk before treatment using the original UCSF-CAPRA categories.
Population:
Biopsy-proven clinically localized cT1c-T3a, N0/x, M0/x prostate cancer evaluated before primary treatment in the original cohort.
Factors:
Age, PSA, Biopsy Grade Group, Clinical T stage, Unrounded percentage of positive biopsy cores
Reference:
Cooperberg et al. J Urol. 2005;173:1938-1942. doi:10.1097/01.ju.0000158155.33890.e7.
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UCSF-CAPRA Score

years
ng/mL
%

Clinical Context & Background

This calculator implements the original 2005 preoperative University of California, San Francisco Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment (UCSF-CAPRA) score. It adds points for age, diagnostic PSA, biopsy Gleason/Grade Group, clinical T stage, and the unrounded percentage of biopsy cores positive.
Scores 0-2, 3-5, and 6-10 define low, intermediate, and high pre-treatment risk groups. In the original radical-prostatectomy cohort, higher scores were associated with greater biochemical recurrence risk. This implementation does not provide an individualized survival estimate, predict treatment benefit, or replace specialist assessment. It is distinct from postoperative CAPRA-S and J-CAPRA.
Primary Source EvidenceCooperberg MR, Pasta DJ, Elkin EP, et al. The University of California, San Francisco Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment score: a straightforward and reliable preoperative predictor of disease recurrence after radical prostatectomy. J Urol. 2005;173(6):1938-1942. doi:10.1097/01.ju.0000158155.33890.e7.
Formula Logic
Age points + PSA points + Gleason/Grade Group points + clinical T-stage points + positive-biopsy-core points (total 0-10).

Reference Data

Risk GroupCAPRA ScoreOriginal model interpretation
Low Risk0-2Lower postoperative biochemical recurrence risk association
Intermediate Risk3-5Intermediate postoperative biochemical recurrence risk association
High Risk6-10Higher postoperative biochemical recurrence risk association

Clinical Workflow

Use, Interpret, And Continue The Patient Pathway

Expand for workflow guidance, limitations, examples, and related next steps.

When To Use

  • Use before primary treatment when all five original CAPRA predictors are available.
  • Use the pretreatment clinical stage and diagnostic biopsy grade rather than postoperative pathology.

How To Interpret

  • Scores 0-2 are low, 3-5 intermediate, and 6-10 high risk.
  • The 34% positive-core threshold is applied to the unrounded percentage.

What To Do Next

  • Integrate the score with contemporary staging, life expectancy, patient preferences, and multidisciplinary review.
  • Do not substitute this score for CAPRA-S when postoperative pathology is the intended model.

Limitations

  • The original derivation population was clinically localized cT1c-T3a disease with PSA at least 2 ng/mL and at least sextant biopsy.
  • The score does not estimate individualized survival or treatment benefit and does not address metastatic or post-treatment assessment.

Validated Population

Original preoperative cohort: biopsy-proven clinically localized prostate cancer, cT1c-T3a, N0/x, M0/x, PSA >=2 ng/mL, and at least sextant biopsy.

Original UCSF example

Age 51, PSA 6.2 ng/mL, Grade Group 2, cT2c, and 25% positive cores gives CAPRA 3, intermediate risk.

Calculation verification history

Verified

  1. : Production browser revalidation

    • Three source-backed CAPRA cases passed through visible production controls at scores 0, 3, and 10 across all three risk groups.
    • No unexpected N/A, literal undefined value, stale control, unsupported gauge, or browser-console error was observed.
    Download latest production check (Excel)

    Case-level evidence is retained in validation/browser-revalidation/capra-prostate-cancer-risk-assessment-2026-08-03.json.

  2. : Production browser validation

    • Ten source-backed cases were exercised on the public production route through visible browser controls; 10/10 case records passed their expected-versus-observed assertions across 11 visible submissions.
    • Overall browser status: failed-console. medium: Production emitted minified React error #418 during the route load.
    • Case-level inputs, expected and observed results, reset/repeat behavior, failure reproductions, and console evidence are retained in the production-browser evidence record.

    Case-level production evidence is retained in validation/browser-production/capra-prostate-cancer-risk-assessment.json.

  3. : Browser input adapter corrected and reverified

    • Accepted finite form-normalized numbers and the typed Grade Group choice emitted by the public form while retaining strict malformed-input rejection.
    • No equation, cutoff, unit, classification, or applicability rule changed; calculator-specific verification and the calculator-wide browser-input audit passed.

  4. : Full validation test

    • 438/438 independent source-rule, threshold, malformed-input, UI, trace, immutability, and prostate-panel parity checks passed.
    • Original 2005 preoperative UCSF-CAPRA only; the overall prostate panel remains In review.

  5. : Calculation and input-contract correction

    • Replaced pre-scored defaults and permissive summation with exact age, PSA, biopsy grade, clinical-stage, and unrounded positive-core scoring; PSA exactly 6.0 now receives 0 points in both standalone and panel paths.
    • Added strict complete inputs, source-backed applicability warnings, full calculation trace, and careful biochemical-recurrence wording without unsupported survival or metastasis estimates.

Verification confirms the calculator implementation against the cited model; it is not independent clinical validation, regulatory approval, or medical advice.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is UCSF-CAPRA the same as CAPRA-S?

No. UCSF-CAPRA is preoperative and uses clinical and biopsy information. CAPRA-S is a separate postoperative model using surgical pathology.

How is PSA exactly 6.0 ng/mL scored?

PSA from 2.0 through 6.0 ng/mL receives 0 points. Values above 6.0 through 10.0 receive 1 point.

Should the positive-core percentage be rounded?

No. Apply the 34% threshold to the full-precision percentage.

Evidence-based oncology decision support. Verify with clinical guidelines.