acid phosphatase - total & prostatic Test

One of the most common types of cancer in men is the prostate cancer. In the initial phase, cancer grows slowly remains confined to the prostate gland and does not possess any serious threat. But if it starts to spread aggressively to the other parts immediate attention is required. The early it is detected better are the chances of successful treatment. One of the commonly used methods to screen for prostate cancer is acid phosphatase test. It is not only used for diagnosis but also to check for the effectiveness of the treatment.

It is an enzyme primarily found in the body and also in the prostate gland of males. It is said that the acid phosphatase enzyme found in the prostate gland of the males is 100 times more than what is found in the body. When cancer in the gland rises, the level of the phosphatase enzyme also rises simultaneously. This is used as a basis to diagnose the level of cancer. The enzyme present in the prostate gland is referred to as prostatic acid phosphatase.

No special preparation is required before the phosphatase test, and a routine blood sample is collected. The prostatic acid phosphatase test requires about 5-10ml of blood, and it is important that the patient does not have a prostate massage before the test. To determine from which tissue the enzyme is coming to the technician measures the amount of the enzyme in the sample. This is done to differentiate if it is from the prostate gland or the red blood cells. The enzyme is known to react differently to different chemicals. Generally, chemical tartrate is added to the sample to inhibit the activity of prostatic phosphatase. While the phosphatase from the rbc’s remains unaffected. This helps the technician understand how much of the person’s total acid phosphatase is coming from the prostate gland and other tissues.

PSA or prostate specific antigen is defined as a protein that could be produced by the both normal and the malignant prostate gland cells. This is also known as the serum acid phosphatase test and evaluates the PSA levels in the blood. An acid phosphatase assay kit could be used to measure the level of enzyme in the blood serum.

To interpret the results, it is important to know the acid phosphatase normal range in the body which is equal to 2 ng/mL. This prostatic acid phosphatase normal range is used as a base to interpret the results from the PAP test. According to doctors, normal PSA in the blood is about 4.0 ng/mL and anything above this could signify the presence of prostate cancer. As a next step, the doctor recommends for a prostate biopsy for more conclusive evidence.

The acid phosphatase test today is also being used by forensic scientists as an investigative tool. The acid phosphatase test forensics helps in the identification of seminal stains in rape cases. Semen is known to contain the acid phosphatase enzyme in abundance. Hence the test can be used as a tool to detect the presence of acid phosphatase substrate on the offenders' clothes, carpets, floors and vaginal and rectal parts of the victim.

The acid phosphatase test today is also being used by forensic scientists as an investigative tool. The acid phosphatase test forensics helps in the identification of seminal stains in rape cases. Semen is known to contain the acid phosphatase enzyme in abundance. Hence the test can be used as a tool to detect the presence of acid phosphatase substrate on the offenders' clothes, carpets, floors and vaginal and rectal parts of the victim.