Prostate specific antigen in pregnant women and in women with breast adenocarcinoma

Abstract

Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) is the most useful tumor marker for the adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Recently, PSA has been found histologically in breast adenocarcinomas and in the milk of lactating women, In this clinical study, serum PSA values were assessed in pregnant women (n=26), in women with adenocarcinoma of the breast (n=26), in lactating women (n=26) and as control in healthy nonpregnant women (n=26). Milk PSA values of lactating women were also assessed. DPC Immulite PSA measurement system was used for PSA assessments. Fisher's exact X test was used for statistical analysis. Measurable serum PSA levels were found in 15.3 % of the pregnant women, in 346 % of the women with breast adenocarcinoma, in 19.2 % of the lactating women and in 4 % of the control group. Milk PSA values were found at measurable levels in 38,4 % of the lactating women. There were no correlation between the sex of the child and serum PSA levels in pregnant women Breast adenocarcinomas may produce PSA and it can be assessed in serum. But they are not as high as the levels of PSA in prostatic adenocarcinomas.