Immunochemical detection of serum prostatic acid phosphatase. Methodology and clinical evaluation.

An immunochemical method for detection of prostatic acid prosphatase is described. Purified acid phosphatase was isolated from cancerous human prostate. A specific antiserum to the purified enzyme was produced in rabbits. The antiserum to postatic acid phosphatase did not react with acid phosphatase originating from other tissues. A counter immunolectrophoresis, utilizing the specific antibodies and a chemical staining technique, has been developed and clinically evaluated. Sera from patients with prostatic carcinoma (6/20 of stage B, 27/49 of stage C, and 98/125 of stage D) gave positive results. Sera from 19 patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy, from 89 patients with other tumors, from 12 patients with Gaucher's disease, from 107 healthy volunteers, and from 50 normal age-matched men all gave negative results. The sensitivity of this method was 0.4 IU of enzyme activity or 20 ng per ml of prostatic acid phosphatase protein. Further clinical evaluation of patients in the early stage of prostatic cancer and of patients undergoing chemotherapy is in progress.