ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To find sensitive and specific micro-metastic markers for prostate cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Using nested reverse transcription-PCR, we examined the expression of PSA, hK2 and PSMA mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 51 patients with prostate cancer, 33 patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and 32 normal young people.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression rates of PSA, hK2 and PSMA mRNA were 52.9%, 43.1% and 64.7%, respectively in prostate cancer group, and 6.2%, 7.7% and 4.6%, respectively in control group (BPH patients and normal young people) with statistical significance (P < 0.01). Although the expression rate of PSA and hK2 mRNA increased with cancer progression, there was no statistical significance among patients in different stages. The expression rate of PSMA mRNA was higher than that of PSA and hK2 mRNA in each clinical stage.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PSMA mRNA expression detected by nested RT-PCR is of greater value for the diagnosis, therapy choice and prognostic evaluation of prostate cancer patients.</p>