Serum tumour markers in human prostatic carcinoma. The value of a marker panel for prognostic information

Serum from 102 patients was analysed with regard to its content of prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP), prostate specific antigen (PSA), neopterin, osteocalcin, thymidine kinase, C-reactive protein, and of tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA). The levels were related to the short-term survival (death from cancer within 3 years) and compared by statistical means. A comparison was also made with tumour grade and stage and the presence or not of metastatic lesions. In this study neopterin was found to be most closely related to the clinical course followed by tumour grade, thymidine kinase and PSA. When all these four variables were in the equation no other parameter added any information of statistical significance. The importance of selecting appropriate cut off values ('normal' vs 'elevated') when using the serum marker as a prognostic indicator is also discussed.