Deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy and the direct assay of prostatic acid phosphatase and prostate specific antigen in fine needle aspiration biopsies as diagnostic methods in prostatic carcinoma.

We used fine needle biopsies from prostatic tumors at routine examinations in 133 patients. Cytological grading was performed with a scoring system. Cellular prostatic acid phosphatase and cellular prostate specific antigen from the aspirates were quantitated. Deoxyribonucleic acid flow cytometry was performed and the tumors were subdivided into diploid, tetraploid and aneuploid groups. Tumor staging was assessed by digital examination. A decrease in the biochemical markers was significantly correlated with the increase in malignancy grade, tumor stage and a shift from diploid to aneuploid tumors. Cellular prostatic acid phosphatase and cellular prostate specific antigen as well as tumor ploidy may contribute to the objective determination of the malignancy potential of the prostatic carcinoma.