Free Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA)
Free Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA)
Free Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA)
Analyte:
Matrix:
Method:
Method No.:
Revised:
as performed by:
Contact:
Lab
Number
Analyte
l11_c
LBXP2
Page 2 of 15
1.
2.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Consider all samples received for analysis potentially positive for infectious agents including
HIV and the hepatitis B virus. Observe universal precautions. Wear gloves, lab coat, and
safety glasses when handling all human blood products and infectious viruses. Place
disposable plastic, glass, paper, and gloves that contact blood in a biohazard bag or discard
pan to be autoclaved. Disinfect all work surfaces with staphene solution. Dispose of all
biological samples and diluted specimens in a biohazard bag at the end of the analysis.
Do not pipette by mouth. Do not eat, drink or smoke in designated work areas. Wash hands
thoroughly after removal or personal protective devices used in handling specimens and kit
reagents.
Material safety data sheets for all reagents used in the performance of this assay, including
but limited to staphene, and sodium azide are kept in the Immunology Division, University of
Washington Medical Center (UWMC).
Page 3 of 15
3.
Each shipment of specimens received from the NHANES IV mobile unit arrives with a
corresponding transmittal sheet and a Send File (a comma delineated text file)
transmitted electronically (labeled boxnum.shp). This file contains the following
information:
Send File
Field
B.
Type
Sample ID
XXXXXXXXX
Slot Number
XXX
mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss
XX
The information from the shipping file is imported into a result file with the following
format:
Results File: PSA/free PSA-Vessel ID 75
Field
Format
Sample ID
XXXXXXXXX
Slot Number
XXX
mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss
XX
Date of Receipt
Mmddyyyy
Mmddyyyy
XXX
{test code}mmddyy.x(letter)
XXXXX.X
XX
XXXXX.X
Mmddyyyy
XXX
{test code}mmddyy.x(letter)
XXXXX.XX
XX
XXXXX.XX
XXX
Page 4 of 15
4.
5.
C.
After the testing is completed, the run number, date of analysis, free PSA result, free
PSA comment, free PSA analyst, and the free PSA 2.5% repeat results are entered into
the result file.
D.
E.
After the total PSA testing has also been completed, resulted, and checked, the result
file is transmitted electronically to NHANES WESTAT. Electronic and hard copies of the
files are kept in the laboratory.
F.
No special instructions such as fasting or special diets are required. Specimens for PSA
testing should be drawn prior to prostatic manipulations such as digital rectal exams
(DRE), prostatic massage, transrectal ultrasound, and protastic biopsy. DRE may cause
a transient increase in serum PSA levels. Transrectal needle biopsy has been shown to
cause persisting PSA elevations. A 6-week waiting period between needle biopsy and
PSA sampling is recommended. The test is usually performed on samples with total
PSA results between 4.010.0 ng/mL.
B.
Serum is the required specimen type; plasma should not be used. If testing is to be
done within 24 hours, samples can be refrigerated at 28C. Freeze at 20C or colder
for longer storage.
C.
Blood should be collected aseptically and the serum separated by standard laboratory
techniques. Specimens may be collected by using regular or serum-separator
Vacutainers. Serum should be separated from the cells within 60 minutes of collection.
D.
The requested sample volume for the assay is 1.0 mL, and the minimum sample volume
is 0.3 mL.
E.
Specimens may be stored in glass or plastic vials, as long as the vials are tightly sealed
to prevent desiccation of the sample.
F.
Turbid samples or those with particulate matter should be centrifuged prior to assay.
G.
Repeated freeze-thaw cycles do not affect free PSA, total PSA, or percent free PSA, but
prompt refreezing of the thawed samples is recommended.
6.
Instrumentation
Page 5 of 15
Setting
175 ul
25 ul
0.01 - 20 ng/mL
Equipment
(1) Reaction Vessels (Beckman Coulter, Fullerton, CA)
(2) Sample Cups (Fisher Scientific, Pittsburgh, PA)
(3) Latex gloves, disposable (Any manufacturer).
(4) Pipettes and tips (Rainin, Emeryville, CA)
C.
Reagents
All reagents are purchased from Beckman Coulter, Fullerton, CA.
(1) R1: Access Hybritech free PSA reagent packs: Cat. No. 37210: 100
determinations, 50 tests/pack
Provided ready to use. Store upright and refrigerate packs at 210C. Packs must
be refrigerated at 210C for a minimum of two hours before use on the instrument.
Stable until the expiration date stated on the label when stored at 210C. After
initial use, the pack is stable at 210C for 28 days. Signs of possible deterioration
Page 6 of 15
are a broken elastomeric layer on the pack or control values out of range.
R1a: Paramagnetic particles coated with burro anti-goat, goat anti-biotin, and
biotinylated mouse monoclonal anti-PSA in Tris buffered saline with surfactant,
bovine serum albumin (BSA), < 0.1% sodium azide, and 0.1% ProClin**300.
R1b: Mouse monoclonal anti-free PSA alkaline phosphatase (bovine)
conjugate diluted in phosphate buffered saline, with surfactant, BSA, protein
(mouse), < 0.1% sodium azide and 0.25% ProClin**300.
(2) Access Substrate Cat. No. 81906: 4 130 ml
Lumi-Phos* 530(buffered solution containing dioxetane. Lumigen* PPD, fluorescer,
and surfactant. Store at 28C. Stable until expiration date on label when
unopened. Bring to room temperature (1530C) at least 18 hours before use.
Stable for 14 days at room temperature or after bottle has been opened.
(3) Access Wash Buffer: Cat # 81907
Tris buffered saline, surfactant, <0.1% sodium azide, and 0.1% Pro Clin* 300.
Provided ready to use. Store at room temperature (1530C), stable until expiration
date on label.
(4) Hybritech PSA Sample Diluent: Cat # 37206
Buffered BSA, < 0.1% sodium azide, 0.5% ProClin**300. Provided ready to use.
Allow the contents to stand for 10 minutes at room temperature and mix by gently
inverting prior to use. Avoid bubble formation. Stable until the expiration date when
stored at 28C.
D.
Standards/Calibration Preparation
Access Hybritech free PSA Calibrators Cat. No. 37215. S0: 5.0 ml/vial, S1-S5: 2.5
ml/vial. Provided ready to use. Store at 210C. Mix contents by gently inverting before
use. Avoid bubble formation. Stable until the expiration date stated on the vial labels
when stored at 210C. Control values out of range are a sign of possible deterioration.
S0: Buffered BSA, < 0.1% sodium azide, 0.5% ProClin**300. Contains 0.0
ng/ml of free PSA.
S1, S2, S3, S4, S5: Human free PSA at levels of approximately 0.5, 2.0, 5.0,
10.0, and 20.0 ng/ml, respectively, in buffered BSA, CQ. < 0.1% sodium azide,
0.5% ProClin**300. Refer to calibration card for exact concentrations.
Calibration card (with actual calibrator concentration information)
E.
7.
Page 7 of 15
A.
Calibration Curve
Example free PSA Calibration:
Test: freePSA
Status: Accepted
Stated
Conc.
RLU
RLU
1SD
% CV
ng/mL
Calc.
Conc.
ng/mL
0.00
16757
0.00
0.00
16034
No Value
16395
512
3.12
0.00
0.50
336982
0.49
0.50
337631
0.49
337306
459
0.14
0.49
2.00
1398560
2.10
2.00
1323150
1.98
1360855
53323
3.92
2.04
4.99
3311440
5.14
4.99
3290410
5.10
3300925
10.20
14870
6282140
0.45
5.12
10.26
Page 8 of 15
Mean
Calc.
Conc.
ng/mL
Flags
10.20
5971300
9.72
6126720
219797
3.59
9.99
19.80
11556300
19.22
19.80
12296000
No Value
11926150
523047
4.39
19.22
Free PSA concentrations are calculated by using a calibration curve. This method
utilizes a smoothing cubic spline math model with a direct relationship of measured
light produced (RLU) to concentration of free PSA protein in the serum sample.
Serum results are expressed as ng/mL.
An active calibration curve is required for all tests. For the Access Hybritech free PSA
assay, calibration is required every 28 days or whenever new lot numbers of reagents
are placed into use. Refer to the Operators Guide and Reference Manual for
complete instructions on calibration procedures.
B.
Verification
(1) Two levels of control are run for each test series. If, within a testing series, these
controls do not conform to specifications as defined in the quality control manual,
the entire series is invalidated.
8.
Preliminaries
(1) Bring all controls and patient specimens to room temperature before use. Mix any
specimens or controls that have been frozen. Centrifuge samples with particulate
matter prior to testing.
(2) Prime system (pipettor, dispense, and substrate) 4 times
(3) Check reagent, substrate, wash buffer, and reaction vessel status. Load any
needed supplies onto the instrument. Mix reagent pack contents by gently inverting
pack several times before loading on the instrument. Do not invert open
(punctured) packs mix reagents by swirling gently.
B.
Page 9 of 15
(3) Select the free PSA test. Note: if total PSA is also ordered, this test can be run on
the same aliquot. Testing is done in singlicate.
(4) The instrument automatically calculates all results. After testing is completed,
results are printed and review by the technologist. Samples with results > 20
ng/mL are diluted off-line and repeated, and results are corrected for the dilution
factor. Samples with results < 0.01 ng/mL are repeated to confirm. Do not rerun
samples that have sat on the Access for more than 60 minutes. Pour fresh aliquots
before rerunning.
(5) Remove specimens and controls. Return controls to the refrigerator and refreeze
specimens.
(6) Perform scheduled instrument maintenance (daily, weekly, and monthly) as
outlined on the maintenance log. See the operator's manual for specific
instructions.
C.
Recording of Data
(1) Specimen results are entered into the assay specific results table created from the
send file corresponding to the specific sample box using Excel software (Microsoft
Corporation, Redmond WA). A copy of this table is printed out and checked for
accuracy of data entry.
(2) Control results are entered to the Assay Specific QC/Levy-Jennings Table using
the Excel program. Compliance with the Westgard rules is evaluated. A copy of
this table is printed out and checked for accuracy of data entry.
D.
E.
Calculations
(1) Patient test results are determined automatically by the system software. The
amount of analyte in a sample is determined from the measured light production by
Page 10 of 15
means of a stored nonlinear calibration curve. Patient test results can be reviewed
using the Sample Results screen. Refer to the Operators Guide for complete
instructions on reviewing results.
(2) Free PSA results are reported in ng/mL and as a percentage of the total PSA.
Both total PSA and free PSA should be determined on the same serum sample.
The percent free PSA (ratio) is calculated using the following formula:
free PSA (ng/mL)
total PSA (ng/mL)
9.
Bench quality controls are used in this analytical method. Bench quality control
specimens are tested with each analytical run (a set of consecutive assays performed
without interruption) so that judgements may be made on the day of analysis. The data
from these materials are then used in estimating methodological imprecision and in
assessing the magnitude of any time-associated trends.
B.
The bench controls are prepared in sufficient quantity to provide serum samples for all
the assays for approximately 1 year. Ranges are established after 20 parallel runs with
previously established controls. The quality control pools comprise two levels of
concentration spanning the ranges for free PSA.
C.
Bench quality controls are placed at the beginning of each analytical run. After analysis,
the long-term quality control charts (Levey-Jennings) for each control material are
consulted to determine if the system is in control. The Levey-Jennings chart plots the
quality control material observations on the y axis and the date of the observation on the
x axis. Quality control material observations are compared with the 95% and 99%
confidence limits as well as with the center line (the overall mean of the characterization
runs) prior to reporting any results. The system is out of control if any of the following
events occur for any one of the quality control materials:
The observation from a single pool falls outside the 99% confidence limits.
The observations from two pools fall either both above or both below the 95%
confidence limits.
The observations from eight successive runs for one pool fall either all above or all
below the center-line.
Page 11 of 15
If the run is declared "out of control", the system (instrument, calibration standards, etc.) is
investigated to determine the root of the problem before any results are released. Consult
with the supervisor for appropriate actions.
12. LIMITATIONS OF METHOD; INTERFERING SUBSTANCES AND CONDITIONS
A.
The upper reportable value is virtually unlimited. The upper limit for undiluted
specimens is determined by the calibration material supplied by the manufacturer.
Values exceeding this upper limit are repeated on dilution until values, prior to correction
for dilution, fall between approximately 1.00-20.00 ng/mL. High samples are diluted with
the zero standard.
B.
The lowest reportable value is 0.05 ng/mL. Values below this lower limit are repeated to
confirm the result. If results are confirmed, report as <0.05 ng/mL and report the
percentage as "NOCALC" (unable to calculate)
C.
Free PSA results should be interpreted in light of the total clinical presentation of the
patient, including clinical history, data from additional tests and other appropriate
information. The 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor drugs, e.g. finasteride, may affect PSA
levels in some patients. Other drugs used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
may also affect PSA levels. Care should be taken in interpreting results from patients
taking these drugs.
D.
This assay does not demonstrate "high dose hook" below 20,000 ng/mL.
E.
F.
Human anti-mouse antibodies (HAMA) may be present in samples from patients who
have received immunotherapy utilizing monoclonal antibodies. Additionally, other
heterophile antibodies such as human anti-goat antibodies and human antibodies
reactive with murine antibodies may be present in patient samples. This assay has
been formulated to minimize the effects of these antibodies on the assay. However,
results on patients that are known to have such antibodies should be interpreted
carefully.
G.
The concentrations of PSA in a given specimen determined with assays from different
manufacturers can vary due to differences in assay methods and reagent specificity.
Values obtained with different assay methods cannot be used interchangeably. The
total PSA result used for calculation of the percent free PSA must be obtained using the
Hybritech PSA method (also available on the Beckman Access).
H.
Page 12 of 15
Free PSA values alone are not used in patient management and do not have a reference
range. The following comment is appended to results to aid in interpretation:
Among men age 50 or over with PSA values between 4.0 and 10.0 ng/mL, a free PSA of less
than or equal to 10% of the total PSA is highly associated with cancer. In contrast, a free
PSA greater that 25% is associated with cancer in approximately 10% of cases.
Catalona, Smith, Wolfert, et al. Evaluation of percentage of free serum prostate-specific
antigen to improve specificity of prostate cancer screening. JAMA 1995; 274: 1214-1220.
14. CRITICAL CALL RESULTS (PANIC VALUES)
Not applicable to this procedure.
15. SPECIMEN STORAGE AND HANDLING DURING TESTING
Specimens should be maintained at 2025oC during testing. After testing, the samples are
stored at 70oC or colder.
16. ALTERNATIVE METHODS FOR PERFORMING TEST OR STORING SPECIMENS IF TEST
SYSTEM FAILS
There are no acceptable alternative methods of analysis. Specimens may be stored at 4
8oC for no longer than 8 days. Otherwise, specimens should be stored at 70oC or colder
until the system is returned to functionality.
17. TEST RESULT REPORTING SYSTEM; PROTOCOL FOR REPORTING CRITICAL CALLS
(IF APPLICABLE)
Not applicable to this procedure.
18. TRANSFER OR REFERRAL OF SPECIMENS; PROCEDURES FOR SPECIMEN
ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRACKING
Standard record keeping should be used for tracking specimens. The primary results include
daily test results as well as stored quality control results.
The original NHANES IV ship file is copied into a template Excel file and onto the hard drive
of a PC computer. After the results are entered into the database and assay results
transmitted electronically, files are stored for 6 months on a server that is backed up on a
daily basis. After 6 months, the result files are transferred onto a CD along copies of original
ship files and QC information.
The residual serum is stored at 70C for 6 months after analysis; then it is returned to the
NHANES Repository in Rockville, MD for long-term storage.
Page 13 of 15
Start Date
End Date
Mean
Standard
Deviation
Coefficient
of Variation
010TU
35
1/16/2003
11/5/2003
0.610
0.034
5.5
012TU
49
1/16/2003
2/25/2004
3.822
0.200
5.2
40140
14
11/12/2003
2/25/2004
0.633
0.025
3.9
40141
47
3/3/2004
2/2/2005
0.657
0.021
3.1
0509-2
47
3/3/2004
2/2/2005
4.772
0.217
4.5
0509-2
012TU
2
010TU
40141
40140
0
1/16/2003
4/26/2003
8/4/2003
11/12/2003
2/20/2004
Page 14 of 15
5/30/2004
9/7/2004
12/16/2004
REFERENCES
1.
Manufacturer Information:
a. Beckman Access Immunoassay System Operators Guide and Reference Manual
b. Beckman Access Hybritech free PSA product insert #37210.
c. Beckman Access Hybritech free PSA Calibrators product insert #37215.
d. Beckman Access Substrate product insert #170279.
e. Beckman Access Wash Buffer product insert #170278.
2.
Schacht, M.J., Garnett, J.E., and Grayhack, J. Biochemical Markers in Prostatic Cancer.
Uro. Clin. No. Amer. 11:253, 1984.
3.
Wang, M.C., Valenzuela, L.A., Murphy, G.P., and Chu, T.M. Purification of a Human
Prostate Specific Antigen. Invest. Urol. 17:159, 1979.
4.
Nadji, M., Tabei, S.Z., Castro, A., Chu, T.M., Murphy, G.P., Wang, M.C. and Morales,
A.R. Prostatic-Specific Antigen: An Immunohistologic Marker for Prostatic Neoplasms.
Cancer 48:1229, 1981.
5.
Wang, M.C., Papsidero, L.D., Kuriyama, M., Valenzuela, L.A., Murphy, G.P., and Chu,
T.M. Prostatic Antigen: A New Potential Marker for Prostatic Cancer. Prostate 2:89,
1981.
Frankel, A.E., Rouse, R.V., Wang, M.C., Chu, T.M. and Herzenberg, L.A. Monoclonal
Antibodies to a Human Prostate Antigen. Cancer Res. 42:3714, 1982.
6.
7.
Christensson, A., Laurell, C.B., Lilja, H., Enzymatic Activity of Prostate-Specific Antigen
and its Reactions with Extracellular Serine Proteinase Inhibitors. Eur.J.Biochem
194:755, 1990.
8.
Lilja, H., Christensson, A., Dahlen, V., Matikainen, M.T., Nilsson, O., Petterson, K.,
Lovgren, T., Prostate-Specific Antigen in Human Serum Occurs Predominately in
Complex with alpha-1 Antichymotrypsin, Clin.Chem. 37:1618, 1991.
9.
Catalona, W.J., Smith, D.S., Wolfert, R., Wang, T.J., Rittenhouse, H., and Ratliff, T.L.,
Increased Specificity of PSA Screening though Measurement of Percent Free PSA in
Serum. J.Urol (supplement), 153 (4):312a, 1995.
10. Christensson, A., et al, Serum Prostate Specific Antigen Complexed to alpha-1Antichymotrypsin as an Indicator of Prostate Cancer. J.Urol., 150:100-105, July 1993.
11. Catalona, W.J., Smith, D.S., Wolfert, R.L., Wang, T.J., Rittenhouse, H.G., Ratlliff, T.L.,
Nadler, R.B., Evaluation of Percentage of Free Serum Prostate-Specific Antigen to
Improve Specificity of Prostate Cancer Screening. JAMA, 274:1214-1220, 1995.
Page 15 of 15