[PSA in women. Evaluation of its determination with polyclonal and monoclonal immunoassay]

PSA concentrations were measured in 421 women. In a first group comprising 309 subjects, the assay was carried out with kits containing polyclonal antibodies (PPSA). In the second group with 112 women, the assays used kits containing polyclonal antibodies (PPSA) and kits containing monoclonal antibodies (MPSA), and results obtained with both assays were compared. In the first group PSA levels higher than 0.4 ng/ml were detected in 47.9%. In the second group concentrations higher than 0.4 ng/ml were detected in 52.7% when using PPSA versus 16.7% when using MPSA. The rate of PSA detectable levels in healthy women, with benignant and malignant conditions was 36.7, 42.1 and 84.4% for PPSA, and 16.7, 14.0 and 21.9 for MPSA. This study shows that it is possible to detect PSA levels in women, and that this is more frequent when using a polyclonal antibodies assay.