Abstract: The present invention relates to novel reflex methods for identifying a male human patient as suitable for diagnosis either benign prostatic diseases (BPD), (such as benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatitis, or glandular atrophy), or prostatic adenocarcinoma (CAP) without requiring a biopsy. The method requires measuring two biochemical markers and knowing the patient age. The total prostate specific antigen (PSA) level in the blood or serum of the patient is measured. If the patient has a total PSA level of between 4.0 ng/mL and 20.0 ng/mL, then the free PSA level in the blood or serum of the patient is measured. The proportion of free PSA to total PSA is calculated. The patient's age is noted, rounding down to an integral numbers of years. The two measured values and the age are entered into a particular identifying algorithm which is derived from a logistic regression model. If a value of greater than about 0.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for diagnosing benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in a male human patient without requiring a biopsy. The total prostate specific antigen (PSA) level in the blood or serum of the patient is measured. If the patient has a total PSA level of between 2.5 ng/ml, (4.0 ng/ml for those 60 years or over), and 10.0 ng/ml, then the free PSA level in the blood or serum of the patient is measured. The proportion of free PSA to total PSA is calculated. If this proportion is equal to or greater than about 25%, then the patient is diagnosed as having BPH.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel methods for determining whether a patient is suitable for prostate surgery, including novel pathology reports and tissue samples. If a patient has a suspicious prostate, a needle biopsy is performed that enables one to map where a tissue anomaly lies with respect to a prostate sextant location, and how far it lies from the prostate capsule. The present method enables a physician to determine if a patient is suitable for prostate surgery, i.e., has at least one malignant tissue anomaly that has not penetrated or is not about to penetrate the prostate capsule. In a preferred form, the present method can enable the physician to determine if a nerve-sparing prostate surgery can be performed on a patient.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for extracting lipid bound sialic acid from a sample of blood plasma or serum and determining the amount of sialic acid present in the sample which comprises:(a) adding to the sample a mixture of a lower alkyl alcohol and a chlorinated lower alkyl hydrocarbon so as to form a resulting admixture, the volume ratio of the lower alkyl alcohol to the chlorinated lower alkyl hydrocarbon being in the range from about 70:30 to about 85:15;(b) mixing the resulting admixture for a period of time sufficient to dissolve lipid bound sialic acid present in the sample;(c) treating the admixture so as to form a recoverable, substantially clear lipid bound sialic acid-containing upper phase;(d) separately recovering from the clear upper phase so formed a predetermined volume of the upper phase; and(e) determining the amount of lipid bound sialic acid present in the predetermined volume of the upper phase and thereby the amount of sialic acid present in the sample.

Abstract: The amount of lipid bound sialic acid in a blood plasma or serum sample may be determined by a method which may be automated involving the following steps: diluting the sample with distilled water; mixing and then cooling the diluted sample; adding a mixture of a chlorinated lower alkyl hydrocarbon and a lower alkyl alcohol; mixing, diluting with water and then treating by mixing further and centrifuging to yield a substantially clear upper phase; recovering the upper phase and adding to it a mixture of a protein precipitating agent and adsorbing material, mixing the resulting admixture; recovering the resulting precipitate, suspending the precipitate in distilled water and determining the amount of lipid bound sialic acid present.

Abstract: The amount of lipid bound sialic acid in a whole blood sample may be determined by a method, which may be automated, involving the following steps: adding to the sample a lower alkyl alcohol and deionized distilled water; mixing the resulting admixture; adding to it a mixture of lower alkyl chlorinated hydrocarbon and a lower alkyl alcohol; treating by mixing and centrifuging the mixture until a recoverable, substantially clear upper phase forms; recovering the upper phase and adding to it a protein-precipitating agent, preferably in admixture with an adsorbing material; mixing the resulting admixture; recovering the resulting precipitate, suspending the precipitate in distilled water and determining the amount of lipid bound sialic acid present. The presently preferred mixture for addition to the upper phase is a mixture of 75% by weight phosphotungstic acid and 25% by weight silica gel on a dry weight basis.