Plasma urokinase-type plasminogen activator correlates to bone scintigraphy in prostatic carcinoma.

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) levels in the plasma of 35 patients suffering from disseminated prostatic carcinoma have been determined. According to the grade of dissemination, found by bone scintigraphy, the patients were divided into three groups. Patients with a higher degree of dissemination revealed significantly higher levels of plasma u-PA compared to patients with a lower degree of dissemination. Therefore plasma u-PA seems to be a possible marker for progression in patients suffering from disseminated prostatic carcinoma.