[A comparison between prostate-acid-phosphatase and prostate-specific antigen in the diagnosis of prostatic carcinoma].

A comparison is made of prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) in the diagnosis of prostatic carcinoma. In a retrospective study PAP ans PSA were compared in 127 normal elderly men, in 187 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and in 162 patients with untreated prostatic carcinoma. In the control group a normal value of 2.2 micrograms/l was found for PAP and 5.0 micrograms/l for PSA. In 41% of BPH patients the PSA level was higher than 5.0 micrograms/l. Because of this substantial percentage a cut-off value of 10 micrograms/l was used instead of 5.0 micrograms/l. In the BPH group 20% had a PSA level over 10 micrograms/l and 21% a PAP over 2.2 micrograms/l. Of the carcinoma patients without metastasis 57% had a PSA level over 10 micrograms/l and of those with metastatic disease, 92%. For PAP these percentages were 35 and 77, respectively. It is concluded that PSA is a more sensitive tumour marker than PAP.