Prostatic acid phosphatase, β-glucuronidase and prostate specific antigen assays in fine needle aspirates from benign and malignant prostates

Enzymatic assays for tartarate-sensitive acid phosphatase and beta-glucuronidase, and radioimmunoassay for prostate-specific antigen, were modified for application to fine-needle aspirate samples from benign and malignant human prostates. When compared to samples from benign prostates, the ratio of acid phosphatase to beta-glucuronidase activities was significantly decreased in needle aspirates from malignant prostates. Prostate-specific antigen values in the aspirates did not correlate with malignancy.