Acid Phosphatase - Prostatic

Acid Phosphatase - Prostatic is a blood test used to detect prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) in the blood. PAP is a glycoprotein produced by the prostate gland and is usually present in the blood in small amounts.

The normal levels of PAP are < or = 2.1 ng/mL. PAP levels higher than this normal range indicate prostate cancer, leukemia, testicular cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and some non-cancerous conditions. Other conditions that increase PAP levels are prostatic infarction, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and manipulation of the prostate gland due to rectal examination.

An increase in PAP levels of patients with known prostate cancer can indicate a recurrence of cancer. Do not take biotin supplements and multivitamins for 12 hours before taking the test. These medicines can hamper the test results.