Prostate-specific antigen and prostate-specific acid phosphatase in neuroendocrine cells of prostate cancer.

Prostate-specific antigen is a specific immunohistochemical marker of benign prostatic epithelium and prostate cancer. A subpopulation of neuroendocrine cells seen in 50% of cancers do not produce this protein marker. These cells appear to secrete prostate-specific acid phosphatase. This finding may explain the marked variation in serum prostate-specific antigen levels in all stages of prostate cancer.