Serum prostate-specific antigen in pancreatic disease
Pezzilli, R.; Bertaccini, A.; Billi, P.; Zanarini, L.; Miglio, F.; Martorana, G.
Italian Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 31(7): 580-583
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 1125-8055 PMID: 10604096 Document Number: 506195
Prostate-specific antigen has been considered a specific and sensitive marker of prostate cancer. In recent years, it has been reported that prostate-specific antigen may also be found in pancreatic tissue; however, very little evidence of serum levels of this protein in pancreatic disease has been forthcoming. To explore the possibility that pancreatic diseases may influence both total and free serum prostate-specific antigen. A total of 72 females were studied: 44 patients with acute pancreatitis: 6 with chronic pancreatitis: 12 with pancreatic carcinoma and 10 healthy volunteers. Total and free serum prostate-specific antigen were measured using commercial kits. In patients with acute pancreatitis, total and free serum prostate-specific antigen were detectable in two out of the 44 patients (5%). In patients with chronic pancreatitis, total and free serum prostate-specific antigen were undetectable, whereas 4 out of the 12 patients (33%) with pancreatic carcinoma had detectable serum levels of total and free prostate-specific antigen. Female patients with acute pancreatitis and especially those with pancreatic cancer may have detectable serum levels of total and free prostate-specific antigen. Further studies are necessary to understand why these molecules are elevated in patients with pancreatic diseases, thus affecting the specificity of prostate-specific antigen determination as a prostate tumour marker.