Palermo G, Bassi P, Racioppi M, Recupero SM, Sacco E, Campetella M, Canu G, Pinto F. Circulating tumor cells as prognostic biological marker in different stages prostate cancer and the effect of different therapeutic approaches on their expression.
MINERVA UROL NEFROL 2019;
72:214-222. [PMID:
31144490 DOI:
10.23736/s0393-2249.19.03377-0]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) represent a prerequisite for the formation of metastases. The aim of the study was to identify the role of CTCs as a biological marker of aggressiveness of prostate cancer and verify the expression of molecular markers predictive of response to different therapeutic approaches.
METHODS
Prospective, single-arm, non-randomized trial. Twenty-four patients with prostate cancer were enrolled into two groups: group 1 (N.=11) with localized prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy; group 2 (N.=13) with metastatic disease. We performed, dosage of blood PSA and testosterone, detection of EGFR, PSMA, PSA and Androgen Receptor (AR) expression on CTC during pre-treatment and follow-up at 1, 3, 9 and 18 months.
RESULTS
A total of 65 blood samples were evaluated. In group 1, pre-treatment sampling was negative for the expression of markers on CTC in 90% of the patients while group 2 pre-treatment sampling was positive for the expression of at least one biomarker in seven of 13 patients (54%). After treatment, four patients in group 2 experienced a reduced expression of the markers on CTC, however, in one case there was a new increase of PSA and PSMA at 3 months. One patient had a positivity of AR at 3 months.
CONCLUSIONS
The expression of PSA, PSMA, EGFR and AR on CTCs appears to be absent in the pre-treatment samplings in cases of localized prostate cancer. The same markers are hyper-expressed before treatment mostly in metastatic prostate cancer and can relate with early biochemical relapse.
Collapse