Prostate-specific antigen is not excreted by human kidney or eliminated by routine hemodialysis

Serum levels of prostate-specific antigen have assumed a prominent clinical role in the management of prostate cancer. Little is known about the production of prostate-specific antigen, its mechanism of entry into the serum in normal and pathologic states, and mechanism(s) of removal from the serum. This study examined nephrostomy urine specimens, finding no significant excretion of prostate-specific antigen into the renal pelvic urine. Similarly, no significant lowering of serum prostate-specific antigen levels occurred during routine hemodialysis in men with chronic renal failure, nor were ambulatory, pre-dialysis serum prostate-specific antigen levels in these same men with chronic renal failure elevated. It appears unlikely that the kidney plays a significant role in the clearance of prostate-specific antigen from human serum.