[Serum acid phosphatase levels following prostatic massage (author's transl)]

We find an elevation of serum acid phosphatase levels 5 min after prostatic massage in only 10% of patients with prostatic adenoma. This increase is caused by stored prostatic secretion being pressed into the blood vessels. 60 min later these serum levels decrease. With some other patients a slower increase of phosphatase levels occurs; this increase, however, lasts for hours. This kind of increase is caused by prostatic fluid being forced into the interstitium where it is slowly absorbed. A combination of both kinds leads to a curve with two peaks; this could be demonstrated in two cases. No difference was seen in reaction of total acid phosphatase and prostatic phosphatase levels. The increase of phosphatase levels following prostatic massage was no sign of prostatic carcinoma.