[The clinical use of the prostate-specific antigen in patients with prostatic cancer]

Radioimmunoassay determination of prostatic-specific antigen (PSA) was conducted in 71 patients with prostatic cancer varying in stages. 85 serum samples were investigated. Of 21 newly diagnosed cases PSA was elevated in 16 (76.2%). No significant elevation of the marker was noticed in stage II patients, while at stage III and IV PSA levels were universally increased. The mean PSA level for stage III was 149.5 ng/ml, for stage IV 291.4 ng/ml. Two stage II patients in remission out of ten presented with high PSA concentrations, while in partial remission this was observed in 3 cases out of 9.50% occurrence of PSA elevated level was registered for stage III patients in remission, 100% occurrence in progression. Prostatic cancer stage IV manifested high PSA levels in 33% of cases under stabilization and in 100% in progression.