ACID PHOSPHATASE IN CARCINOMA OF THE PROSTATE IN MAN

Abstract

Quantitative histochemistry of the human prostate demonstrates that in microtome sections of equal protein content the acid phosphatase activity is proportional to the number of acini present. The occurrence of cancer in these acini results in a profound lowering of the acid phosphatase activity. We postulate that the normal cell that evolves slowly into the cancer cell and highly differentiated carcinoma subsequently becomes undifferentiated and metastasizes. Finally, it is suggested that some change in the deoxyribonucleic-ribonucleic acid complex initiated by hormonal imbalance results in the loss of certain normal physiological functions such as the production and secretion of acid phosphatase and if these losses do not lead to cell death, tumor formation results.