Abstract: A method for diagnosing or providing a prognosis of a subject suspected of suffering from prostate cancer, comprising in vitro detection of prostasomes and quantification of prostasomal expression of at least one antigen chosen from the group consisting of CD13, CD59, CD10, CD26 CD142, CD143 and MHC I, and comparing said quantified expression value with a reference value for the respective antigen derived from healthy subject(s). Quotients between said antigens may moreover be made use of. Detection may be by way of flow cytometry or ELISA. A kit for use in diagnosis or providing a prognosis of a subject suspected of suffering from prostate cancer is furthermore provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a diagnostic and/or prognostic reagent comprising a component which selectively binds to anti-prostasome autoantibodies, as well as an immunoassay using said reagent. Furthermore, the invention relates to an in vitro method for diagnosing and/or prognosticating a condition reflecting the prostasome presence in body fluids, comprising a) binding of anti-prostasome autoantibodies with a component which selectively binds to anti-prostasome autoantibodies; and b) detection of said binding. The conditions may be different forms of prostate cancer or prostasome-related diseases or other conditions where anti-prostasome autoantibodies are present in the body.