You are in Medical Library . This test is most often performed to determine whether you have prostate cancer , an abnormality of the prostate gland, or to follow the response of cancer to treatment.
Acid phosphatase is an enzyme in the lysosomes of cells throughout the body.
ACP is in especially high concentrations in the prostate. Prostatic dysfunction results in the release of ACP into the blood. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. During the procedure, the tourniquet is removed to restore circulation. Once the blood has been collected, the needle is removed, and the puncture site is covered to stop any bleeding .