Serum level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in women with breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE To identify the diagnostic role of total and free prostate-specific antigen (TPSA and FPSA) in breast cancer in women. METHODS Blood samples of 55 women with breast cancer were prospectively analyzed for PSA before and after breast surgery, with a control group of 82 healthy women. RESULTS Total and free PSA levels were significantly higher in women with breast cancer (preoperatively) than in healthy women (P<0.001). Both serum TPSA and FPSA showed a significant decline in their pre-surgical values after surgical removal of the tumor (P<0.001). A significant proportion of breast cancer patients (83.6%) had free PSA as the predominant molecular form in serum as compared to 0% of controls and 1.8% of postoperative groups (P<0.001). TPSA and FPSA levels were significantly associated with younger age and earlier cancer stage, whereas no significant association was found between these two variables and FPSA as a predominant molecular form. CONCLUSIONS This study indicated a clinical significance of preoperative measurement of serum TPSA and FPSA in the diagnosis of women with breast cancer, and may be a useful marker for monitoring the response to treatment.