Prostatic Acid Phosphatase (PAP)
Also known as: PAP Male, Male PAP
Use
Prostatic Acid Phosphatase (PAP) is used to monitor treatment response in prostate cancer — for example, to predict recurrence after radical prostatectomy or following androgen‑ablation therapy. It may be useful when used in conjunction with PSA measurements, though PSA is generally more sensitive and specific for screening and monitoring prostate cancer. PAP may show clinical value in contexts where PSA is less reliable.
Special Instructions
Not provided.
Limitations
PAP is less sensitive and specific than PSA for both screening and monitoring prostate cancer; only a minority of patients (~13%) with an elevated serum PSA after radical prostatectomy have elevated PAP levels, limiting its utility. Additionally, PAP assay values may not be interchangeable between different methods.
Methodology
Immunoassay (Chemiluminescence Method)
Biomarkers
Result Turnaround Time
2-5 days
Related Documents
For more information, please review the documents below
Specimen
Serum
Volume
1.0 mL
Minimum Volume
0.5 mL
Container
SST (Gold‑top) tube
Stability Requirements
| Temperature | Period |
|---|---|
| Room Temperature | 24 hours |
| Refrigerated | 24 hours |
| Frozen | 28 days |
Other tests from different labs that may be relevant