Association of serum EPCA-2 level with prostate cancer in Chinese Han population.

BACKGROUND

Early prostate cancer antigen 2 (EPCA-2), a kind of nuclear matrix protein, may relate to prostate cancer. However, the association of EPCA-2 level in serum with prostate diseases has not been clarified in Chinese Han population.

METHODS

EPCA-2 and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in serum were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in 116 patients with prostate cancer (PCa), 342 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and 174 healthy controls (Control) in Chinese population. Associations of serum EPCA-2 and PSA level with prostate diseases were analyzed by ANOVA. Comparison of diagnostic effect for prostate cancer between EPCA-2 and PSA was evaluated by Receiver Operator Curve, Chi-square test, and others.

RESULTS

Serum EPCA-2 and PSA levels in PCa group were significantly higher than BPH and Control group (EPCA-2: F=200.05, P<0.01; PSA: F=210.65, P<0.01). However, EPCA-2 levels in the prostate cancers with different pathological grade were no significant difference. Furthermore, for detection of prostate cancer, EPCA-2 had a sensitivity of 81.9% and a specificity of 87.6%.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum EPCA-2 could be used as a potential serological marker to diagnose prostate cancer in Chinese Han population, which was more specific than PSA and did not associate with pathological grades of prostate cancer.