Changes in tissue prostatic acidic phosphatase during endocrine treatment of patients with prostatic carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
We have previously developed methods for the quantification of different macromolecules in aspiration biopsy material and described the changes in prostate-specific antigen (T-PSA) during cancer treatment. We have now studied the changes in tissue prostatic acidic phosphatase (T-PAP) in 58 endocrine-treated patients with prostatic carcinoma and compared these data with cancer development data and tissue PSA (T-PSA) levels.


METHODS
PAP and PSA were quantified in aspiration biopsies taken before treatment and after 6 and 12 months of treatment. Patients were followed until death or for >98 months.


RESULTS
Pretreatment T-PSA was more strongly associated with survival than T-PAP. Both T-PSA and T-PAP decreased in responders during treatment. In non-responders, T-PSA and T-PAP increased after 12 months in 17/18 and 7/13 patients, respectively. Estrogen-treated responders had significantly higher T-PSA, but not T-PAP, treatment values than those treated with orchidectomy or gonadotropin-releasing hormone.


CONCLUSIONS
The inferiority of serum PAP compared to PSA for monitoring cancer treatment may reflect its less pronounced changes at the tissue level, indicating different in vivo regulation of the two markers. Estrogen stimulation of PSA synthesis in vivo may underlie the higher PSA levels observed during estrogen treatment.
Grande
Mirtha
M
Department of Medicine, Andrology Center, Stockholm, Sweden.
Carlström
Kjell
K
Lundh-Rozell
Barbro
B
Stege
Reinhard
R
Pousette
Ake
A
D000135:Acid Phosphatase; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004967:Estrogens; D000135:Acid Phosphatase; C428439:prostatic acid phosphatase; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen