CYTOKERATIN-8 18 LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH PROSTATE-CANCER AND BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA/

Objectives: Recently, tissue polypeptide-specific antigen (TPS), a cyt okeratin 18 marker, was described to be discriminative between cancer of the prostate (CaP) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Cyfra 8/ 18, a marker which recognizes both cytokeratin 8 and 18 fragments, is discussed to improve sensitivity and specificity of TPS. We investigat ed whether Cyfra 8/18 serum concentration discriminates between patien ts with clinically localized CaP and BPH. Methods: Serum Cyfra 8/18 le vels were determined in patients with untreated CaP before radical pro statectomy (pT1-3pNoMo; n = 11) and with histologically confirmed BPH (n = 22). Cyfra 8/18 concentration was correlated to the prostate-spec ific antigen (PSA) concentration. Results: Median Cyfra 8/18 level was 0.64 ng/ml in CaP patients and 0.57 ng/ml in BPH patients. This diffe rence is statistically not significant (p = 0.91). Furthermore, no cor relation to PSA levels could be established (CaP: r = 0.036; BPH: r = 0.09). Conclusion: In contrast to a recent report we found the Cyfra 8 /18 serum concentration to be a nondiscriminative parameter between Ca P and BPH.