Abstract
Prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP), prostatic specific antigen (PA) and γ-seminoprotein (γ-SM) are well known as serum markers for prostatic carcinoma. These markers are located histochemically only in the epithelial cells of the prostate. We tried to examine whether or not there was any correlation between plasma levels of these markers, volume of the prostate, and its histological components, i. e., the gland, the epithelium and the stroma. The study was conducted in 67 patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy. Prostatic volume was estimated by transrectal ultrasonography. Volume density of the glandular, stromal and epithelial part of the prostate tissue was determined by morphometric analysis (point-counting technique) . Prostatic volume was multiplied by volume density of each part, the product being volume of each part. Volumes of the prostate, the glandular part, the epithelial part and the stromal part were found to be 46.89±20.21cm3, 18.25±8.94cm3, 8.98±3.83cm3and 28.64±12.35cm3 (mean± SD), respectively. The serum PAP, PA and γ-SM levels were measured to be 1.67±0.78 ng/ml, 2.64±1.12 ng/ml, and 4.23±2.02 ng/ml, respectively. The prostate, glandular, and epithelial volumes were significantly correlated with the serum levels of PAP and γ-SM, but correlation with the PA level was not significant. The PAP and γ-SM levels were also significantly correlated with the stromal volume. The data suggest that serum levels of these markers can be related to the epithelial volume, but influence of the stromal volume must not be neglected. Correlations of PA and γ-SM with the epithelial volume were not necessarily parallel.
