Association of serum lipid levels and prostate cancer severity among Hispanic Puerto Rican men

Normal Weight, Overweight and Obesity Conditions Associated to Prostate Neoplasm Stages-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background/Objective: Prostate cancer (PCa) represents the second-most common cancer among men worldwide. Obesity is generally considered as a risk factor for cancer and it has been associated with a 20-30% increased risk of PCa death. The present systematic review and meta-analyses aimed to highlight any existing trends between prostate neoplasm stages according to normal weight, overweight and obesity conditions. Methods: All interventional records such as randomized clinical trials, quasi-experimental studies and observational studies were included in the present systematic review and meta-analysis which reported PCa stages according to Gleason (GS) or TNM scores according to the BMI-related incidence, as normal weight, overweight and obesity groups. Results: Twenty-nine studies were included in the present study. As regards the GS scoring system, 1.09% of high grade in GS was reported among PCa normal weights. Among PCa overweights, 0.98% of low grade was registered in GS. The same trend was recorded among obese PCa patients, since 0.79% of low grade in GS was also registered. As regards TNM scores, both normal weight, overweight and obese PCa patients registered a significant incidence in non-advanced TNM score, without any significant differences considering higher TNM assessments. Conclusions: Although the literature seemed to be more in favor of associations between BMI and GS, no specific mechanisms were highlighted between obesity and PCa progression. In this regard, the low androgen microenvironment in obese men could play an important role, but further studies will be necessary in this direction.

Associations between green tea drinking and body mass index, serum lipid profile and prostate-specific antigen in a Ghanaian population: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a major malignancy that affects men worldwide. Obesity, dyslipidemia and elevated serum PSA are common risk factors. Green tea is a popular beverage in some West African communities with a relatively low incidence of PCa. However, the associations of green tea consumption with these PCa risk factors in that population remain unknown. This study therefore aimed at investigating the associations between green tea intake and the serum lipid profile, body mass index (BMI), and serum PSA.

METHODS

An analytical cross-sectional survey was conducted to compare the serum lipid profile, BMI and serum PSA between green tea drinkers (GTD) and non-tea drinkers (NTD). A total of 415 men, 40 years or older, who gave their consent were assigned to four groups on the basis of age: 40-49 years, 50-59 years, 60-69 years, and 70 + years. BMI, serum lipid profile (total cholesterol, HDL-c, LDL-c, and triglycerides), and serum PSA level were determined and compared between GTD and NTD.

RESULTS

Compared with the NTD group, the GTD with normal BMI were significantly greater across all age groups, and the odds of being overweight (obese) were significantly lower in the GTD group than in the NTD group. Compared with those in the NTD, significantly fewer atherogenic lipids in the GTD were observed across all age categories. Furthermore, the odds of dyslipidemia in GTD groups were lower than those in NTD groups across all age groups. A significantly lower mean serum PSA level was observed in the older GTD age groups (60-69 and 70+) than in the NTD group, and significantly lower odds of elevated serum PSA were detected in the GTD group than in the NTD group. However, there were no differences in the mean PSA between the GTD and NTD groups in the younger age groups. Weak positive correlations between serum PSA and BMI were observed in the NTD group regardless of the age category. However, a significantly strong negative correlation between the serum PSA concentration and BMI was observed in the older age GTD group compared with the NTD group.

CONCLUSIONS

Consumption of green tea was associated with reduced atherogenic serum lipids and improved BMI independent of age. Furthermore, GTD was significantly associated with reduced serum PSA in older men but not in younger adults.

Therapeutic potential of silica nanoparticles, cisplatin, and quercetin on ovarian cancer: In vivo model

The present study evaluated the effect of silica nanoparticles, quercetin, and cisplatin against ovarian cancer. Cisplatin is a potent antineoplastic agent but has greater toxicity against cancer. Quercetin is a powerful flavonoid with remarkable anti-cancer activity due to its anti-apoptotic nature. Forty female albino rats were randomly divided into eight groups, with five rats per group. Group 1 (G1) was normal control, G2 received Carboxymethylcellulose; G3 was the normal control and treated with quercetin, G4 was given silica nanoparticles, G5 was treated with cisplatin. G6 was the tumor control. Tumor induction was done by 7, 12-dimethylbenz (a) anthracene (DMBA), G7 was treated with quercetin-cisplatin-silica nanoparticles, and in G8 quercetin-cisplatin silica nanoparticles were used to treat the induced tumor. Chemically synthesized silica nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). After the treatment, animals were sacrificed and tested for biochemical and hormonal assays. G6 displayed increased body weight and a significant rise in CA125 as compared to G1. G6 also exhibited an altered hormonal profile, with a particular increase in estrogen, FSH, and testosterone, along with reduced LH and progesterone levels. Lipid profile, liver enzymes, and renal parameters (urea and creatinine) increased in G6, but G8 significantly ameliorated all damaging effects of DMBA as observed in G6. The current study revealed that silica nanoparticles combined with cisplatin and quercetin demonstrated greater protection against drastic changes induced by carcinogens in ovarian cancer mice models.

Rosiglitazone has a null association with the risk of prostate cancer in type 2 diabetes patients

BACKGROUND

This study investigated the risk of prostate cancer in ever users and never users of rosiglitazone in diabetes patients in Taiwan.

METHODS

The nationwide database of the National Health Insurance was used to enroll male patients who had a new diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus at an age ≥ 25 years from 1999 to 2005. A total of 11,495 ever users and 11,495 never users of rosiglitazone matched on propensity score were selected and they were followed up for the incidence of prostate cancer from January 1, 2006 until December 31, 2011. Cox proportional hazard model incorporated with the inverse probability of treatment weighting using the propensity score was used to estimate hazard ratios.

RESULTS

At the end of follow-up, incident cases of prostate cancer were found in 84 never users and 90 ever users of rosiglitazone. The calculated incidence was 173.20 per 100,000 person-years in never users and was 187.59 per 100,000 person-years in ever users. The overall hazard ratio (95% confidence intervals) for ever versus never users was 1.089 (0.808-1.466). The hazard ratios were 0.999 (0.643-1.552) for the first tertile (< 672 mg), 1.147 (0.770-1.709) for the second tertile (672-3584 mg) and 1.116 (0.735-1.695) for the third tertile (> 3584 mg) of cumulative dose. Sensitivity analyses consistently showed a null association between rosiglitazone and prostate cancer risk.

CONCLUSION

Rosiglitazone has a null effect on the risk of prostate cancer.

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol and carcinogenesis

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) has been recognized to be associated with atherosclerosis. In the past few years many studies have found that HDLC is also related to tumor development and progression. Despite some opposing views, a large number of studies support a negative association between HDLC and tumor incidence. Measuring serum HDLC concentrations may facilitate assessment of the prognosis of cancer patients and provide a biomarker for tumors. However, there is a lack of molecular mechanism studies on the link between HDLC and tumors. In this review we discuss the impact of HDLC on the incidence and prognosis of cancer in different systems, as well as prospects for the prediction and treatment of cancer in the future.

Association of triglyceride levels and prostate cancer: a Mendelian randomization study

Background

The association between triglyceride and prostate cancer (PCa) has been reported in observational studies. However, the causality from triglyceride on PCa remained unknown.

Method

Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was performed with triglyceride genome-wide association study (GWAS) data from 177,861 individuals and GWAS summary statistics of PCa from 463,010 individuals. Then, 48 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of triglyceride were used as instrumental variables (IVs) to conduct MR analysis on PCa. Inverse‐variance weighted (IVW), Weighted median, MR‐Egger regression, Simple mode and Weighted mode were used for MR analysis. To verify the sensitivity of the data, heterogeneity test, pleiotropy test and leave-one-out sensitivity test were performed.

Results

Association for an effect of triglyceride on PCa risk was found in IVW (odds ratio [OR]: 1.002, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.000–1.004, p = 0.016). However, opposing results were observed using the weighted median (OR: 1.001, 95% CI: 0.999–1.003, p = 0.499) and MR‐Egger (OR: 0.999, 95% CI: 0.995–1.002, p = 0.401) approach. After MRPRESSO, the same result was obtained by using IVW method (OR: 1.002, 95% CI: 1.001–1.004, p = 0.004).

Conclusions

The large MR analysis indicated that the potential causal effect of triglyceride on PCa. The odds of PCa would increase with high levels of triglyceride.

The Correlation between Lipid Metabolism Disorders and Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer affecting the male population all over the world. The existence of a correlation between lipid metabolism disorders and cancer of the prostate gland has been widely known for a long time. According to hypotheses, cholesterol may contribute to prostate cancer progression as a result of its participation as a signaling molecule in prostate growth and differentiation via numerous biologic mechanisms including Akt signaling and de novo steroidogenesis. The results of some studies suggest that increased cholesterol levels may be associated with a higher risk of a more aggressive course of the disease. The aforementioned alterations in the synthesis of fatty acids are a unique feature of cancer and, therefore, constitute an attractive target for therapeutic intervention in the treatment of prostate cancer. Pharmacological or gene therapy aims to reduce the activity of enzymes involved in de novo synthesis of fatty acids, FASN, ACLY (ATP citrate lyase) or SCD-1 (Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase) in particular, that may result in cells growth arrest. Nevertheless, not all cancers are unequivocally associated with hypocholesterolaemia. It cannot be ruled out that the relationship between prostate cancer and lipid disorders is not a direct quantitative correlation between carcinogenesis and the amount of circulating cholesterol. Perhaps the correspondence is more sophisticated and connected to the distribution of cholesterol fractions or even sub-fractions of e.g. HDL cholesterol.

Serum lipids and prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Conflicting results are found in the literature relating serum lipids levels and prostate cancer. Some results imply a relationship between them; others contradict this association. The purpose of this study was to investigate a possible association between serum lipids levels and prostate cancer, at time of diagnosis.

METHODS

We measured serum levels of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides in 237 patients submitted to a prostate biopsy, with PSA between 2 and 10 ng/ml. Patients without cancer at biopsy were used as controls, and the others were considered as cases. No information about lipid-lowering therapy, including statins, was available neither in cases nor in controls. Cases were divided into risk groups, according to the disease severity, based on staging. Lipids levels were compared between groups, using parametric and nonparametric tests. Logistic regression analysis and odds ratios were calculated.

RESULTS

LDL and total cholesterol levels were lower in patients with cancer, with the difference being statistically significant for LDL cholesterol (p = 0.010) and borderline for total cholesterol (p = 0.050). No significant differences were found between the several risk groups. Odds ratios for low LDL cholesterol (<130 mg/dl) and low total cholesterol (<200 mg/dl), with prostate cancer as the outcome, were 1.983 and 1.703, respectively. There were no significant differences between cases and controls for the other lipids.

CONCLUSION

Lower LDL cholesterol (<130 mg/dl) and lower total cholesterol (<200 mg/dl) serum levels seem to associate with prostate cancer, at time of diagnosis.

Serum lipids might improve prostate-specific antigen sensitivity in patients undergoing transrectal ultrasonography-guided biopsy for suspected prostate cancer: A pilot study

Objectives: To investigate the potential use of body mass index (BMI) and serum lipids in improving prostate-specific antigen (PSA) sensitivity in patients undergoing biopsy for suspicion of prostate cancer, as there is an established relationship between metabolic syndrome, obesity and serum lipids with prostate cancer.

Patients and methods: A pilot study was conducted in a tertiary referral centre between June 2016 and August 2017 of patients undergoing transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)-guided biopsy. After the result of TRUS-biopsy, the first 50 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer (study group) and those with no prostate cancer (control group) were enrolled. BMI, serum PSA level, fasting blood sugar and lipid profile (e.g. cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein [LDL] and high-density lipoprotein [HDL]), were compared between the groups.

Results: Higher BMI, cholesterol, LDL and lower HDL together with PSA were significantly associated with a positive biopsy. On multivariate analysis, LDL (odds ratio [OR] 5.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2–24.9; P = 0.03) and total PSA level (OR 12.9, 95% CI 4.7–35; P < 0.001) were independent predictors of a positive biopsy. A combination of LDL <80 mg/dL and PSA level <26 ng/mL threshold values determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, had a sensitivity and specificity of 94% and 28%, respectively; whilst, the negative (NPV) and positive predictive values were 82.4% and 56.6%, respectively. The sensitivity and NPV of the combination was significantly higher than that of PSA level alone (94% vs 72% and 82.4% vs 75%, respectively; P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Serum lipids might have a role in the diagnosis of prostate cancer and could be used as an adjunct to PSA measurement to improve sensitivity and avoid unnecessary biopsies.

Abbreviations: AUC: area under the curve; BMI: body mass index; FBS: fasting blood sugar; HDL: high-density lipoprotein; LDL: low-density lipoprotein; LOX-1: lectin-like oxidised LDL receptor-1; OR: odds ratio; ROC: receiver operating characteristic; RP: radical prostatectomy; TG: triglyceride

Prognostic value of lipid profiles after radical prostatectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Lipid profiles are believed to play an important role in the tumorigenesis and progression of prostate cancer (PCa), but research combining those data is lacking. Therefore, this meta-analysis aims to assess the prognostic role of lipid profiles after RP.

Method

We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library Central Register of Controlled Trials for articles evaluating association between lipid profiles and prognosis after RP. Odds ratio (OR) and hazard ratio (HR) of lipid profiles for advanced pathological tumor features and biochemical recurrence (BCR) were extracted and pooled OR and HR were calculated. Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used for study quality assessment and funnel plot was used for evaluating publication bias.

Results

Twelve articles involving 11,108 patients were eventually selected. We found low HDL was associated with more frequent occurrence of pathological T stage (pT) ≥ T3 (pooled OR = 1.29, 95% CI 1.07–1.56) and Gleason score (GS) ≥8 (pooled OR = 1.32, 95% CI 1.02–1.72) after RP. Hypertriglyceridemia was also linked with higher risk of pT ≥ T3 (pooled OR = 1.20, 95% CI 1.01–1.42) and positive surgical margin (PSM) (pooled OR = 1.36, 95% CI 1.11–1.65). However, no significant association was observed between BCR and abnormal lipid profile levels.

Conclusion

Low HDL level was associated with more common occurrence of pT ≥ T3 and GS ≥8, and elevated triglycerides level was linked higher risk of pT ≥ T3 and PSM, but none of the lipid subfractions was correlated with biochemical recurrence after RP.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12944-019-1068-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Prostate cancer survival among statin users after prostatectomy in a Finnish nationwide cohort

BACKGROUND

Improved prostate cancer (PCa) survival by statin use has been reported among PCa patients managed with radiation or androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), while results are controversial for men managed surgically. We evaluate the association between cholesterol-lowering medication with initiation of ADT and disease-specific death among PCa cases who underwent radical prostatectomy in Finland between 1995 and 2013.

METHODS

The study cohort included 14 424 men with PCa who underwent radical prostatectomy in Finland between 1995 and 2013. Cases were identified from national hospital discharge registry. Clinical data were amended from patient files of the treating hospitals. Information on co-morbidities, additional radiation- or chemotherapy, and causes of deaths were collected from national registries. Personal-level data on medication use during 1995-2014 were gathered from national prescription database. Registry linkages were carried out using personal identification number. Lipid-lowering drugs were categorized into statins and non-statin drugs. Risk of PCa death and initiation of ADT was analyzed using Cox-regression model with adjustment for age, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, co-morbidities and other drug use. Statin use was analyzed as time-dependent variable. Delayed risk associations were evaluated in lag-time analysis.

RESULTS

Compared to non-users the risk of PCa death was significantly lower among statin users before PCa diagnosis (HR 0.70, 95%CIs 0.52-0.95). For statin use after PCa diagnosis the risk was lowered in age-adjusted analysis (HR 0.76 95%CIs 0.62-0.93) but not after multivariable-adjustment. Post-diagnostic statin use was associated with improved PCa-specific survival in 1, 3 and 5 years lag-time analyses. The risk reduction was clearest for statin use initiated 5 years earlier (HR 0.71 95%CIs 0.55-0.92). Use of statins both before and after PCa diagnosis was associated with reduced risk of ADT use (HR 0.72 95%CIs 0.65-0.80 and HR 0.73, 95%CI 0.67-0.80, respectively). The risk of ADT decreased by increasing intensity of statin use before diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

Statin use among surgically treated PCa patients has significant association with decreased risk of starting ADT and PCa death. The risk is lowered especially among men with statin use before PCa diagnosis and in men who used statins at high-dose. Our results are hypothesis generating due to retrospective study design.

Serum cholesterol and prostate cancer risk in the Finnish randomized study of screening for prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Hypercholesterolemia has been associated with advanced stage prostate cancer (PCa), but the role of lipid parameters such as HDL and triglycerides is unclear. We examined PCa risk by lipid parameters in a population nested within the Finnish Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (FinRSPC).

METHODS

Cholesterol measurements were available on 17,696 men. During the 17-year median follow-up, 2404 PCa cases were diagnosed. Cox regression model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for overall PCa risk and stratified by Gleason grade and tumor stage. We compared normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic men on four cholesterol parameters total cholesterol (TC), HDL, LDL, and triglycerides (TG), analyzed as time-dependent variables.

RESULTS

TC in the highest tertile (above 5.1 mmol/l) and LDL above 3 mmol/l were associated with increased risk of Gleason 8-10 cancer (HR 1.42, 95% CI 1.04-1.95 and HR 1.38, 95% CI 1.02-1.86, respectively). Further, overall PCa risk was elevated in the 3-year lag time analysis by TC in the highest two tertiles (HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.05-1.54 for TC above 4.4 mmol/l, and HR 1.26, 95% CI 1.05-1.51 for TC above 5.1 mmol/l) and HDL in the highest tertile (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.08-1.64) and above 1 mmol/l (HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.01-1.65). In contrast, TC in the highest tertile was associated with a decreased risk of PCa with 20-year lag time. The risk associations for overall PCa grew stronger with added lag time but were observed only in the FinRSPC control arm. Statin use did not modify the risk association.

CONCLUSIONS

Hypercholesterolemia may increase overall PCa risk in short-term, inverse risk association was observed with 20-years' time lag. Similar risk increase of overall PCa was also observed for elevated HDL, conflicting with previous findings on the subject.

Association of serum lipids and severity of epithelial ovarian cancer: an observational cohort study of 349 Chinese patients

While obesity and fat intake have been associated with the risk and prognosis of epithelial ovarian cancer, the association between the lipid levels and epithelial ovarian cancer phenotype remains controversial. We conducted a retrospective study of 349 epithelial ovarian cancer patients who received treatment at Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, China between 2011 and 2017. We analyzed age at diagnosis, blood pressure, plasma glucose content, body mass index (BMI), lipid levels and clinical parameters. Severity of epithelial ovarian cancer was classified according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) grading system. Univariate analysis of the clinical factors according to the severity of epithelial ovarian cancer was followed by logistic regression analysis to identify clinical factors significantly associated with epithelial ovarian cancer severity. Univariate analysis indicated that age, BMI, triglyceride (TG), and high density lipoproteins (HDL) differed significantly among different stages of epithelial ovarian cancer (P<0.05). In the logistic regression model, elevated TG (OR: 1.883; 95% CI= 1.207-2.937), and low HDL (OR: 0.497; 95% CI= 0.298-0.829) levels were significantly associated with the high severity epithelial ovarian cancer. Our data indicate that high TG and low HDL levels correlate with a high severity of epithelial ovarian cancer. These data provide important insight into the potential relationship between the lipid pathway and epithelial ovarian cancer phenotype and development.

Predicting prostate cancer progression: protocol for a retrospective cohort study to identify prognostic factors for prostate cancer outcomes using routine primary care data

INTRODUCTION

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with nearly 40 000 diagnosed in 2014; and it is the second most common cause of male cancer-related mortality. The clinical conundrum is that most men live with prostate cancer rather than die from it, while existing treatments have significant associated morbidity. Recent studies have shown very low mortality rates (1% after a median of 10-year follow-up) and no treatment-related reductions in mortality, in men with localised prostate cancer. This study will identify prognostic factors associated with prostate cancer progression to help differentiate aggressive from more indolent tumours in men with localised disease at diagnosis, and so inform the decision to adopt conservative (active surveillance) or radical (surgery or radiotherapy) management strategies.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) contains 57 318 men who were diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1 January 1987 and 31 December 2016. These men will be linked to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service registry databases for mortality, TNM stage, Gleason grade and treatment data. Men with a diagnosis date prior to 1 January 1987 and men with lymph node or distant metastases at diagnosis will be excluded. A priori determined prognostic factors potentially associated with prostate cancer mortality, the end point of cancer progression, will be measured at baseline, and the participants followed through to development of cancer progression, death or the end of the follow-up period (31 December 2016). Cox proportional hazards regression will be used to estimate crude and mutually adjusted HRs. Mortality risk will be predicted using flexible parametric survival models that can accurately fit the shape of the hazard function.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study protocol has approval from the Independent Scientific Advisory Committee for the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Database Research (protocol 17_041). The findings will be presented in peer-reviewed journals and local CPRD researcher meetings.

Impact of FTO SNPs rs9930506 and rs9939609 in Prostate Cancer Severity in a Cohort of Puerto Rican Men

Background

Obesity is prevalent in PR and has been associated with prostate cancer (PCa) mortality and aggressiveness. Polymorphisms (SNPs) rs9930506 and rs9939609 in the FTO gene have been associated with both obesity and PCa. The aim of this work was to ascertain whether the presence of these SNPs is associated with PCa risk and severity in a cohort of Puerto Rican men.

Methods and findings

The study population consisted of 513 Puerto Rican men age ranging from 40-79 years old who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) as the first treatment for PCa and 128 healthy Puerto Rican men age ranging from 40-79 years old. Genomic DNA (gDNA) was extracted and SNPs were determined by Real-Time PCR. PCa severity was defined based on RP stage and Gleason Score. The relationship of FTO SNPs with demographic, clinical characteristics, PCa status and PCa severity were assessed. Logistic regression models with a 95% confidence interval (CI) determined SNPs interaction with PCa risk and severity odds ratio (ORs).

Results and discussion

BMI, age and PSA were considered as confounders. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was present for both SNPs. The heterozygous forms (A/G; T/A) were the most prevalent genotypes and the frequency of alleles and genotypes for both SNPs agreed with those published in 1000 genomes. Results suggest an inverse association between the mutated rs9939609 and the risk of having PCa (OR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.31-0.92) and a positive association with overweight (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.68-1.62). Importantly, among the cases that were overweight, those with mutated rs9939609 had a greater chance of high severity PCa (OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 0.84-2.32) although these results were not statistical significant upon adjustment. Limitations of the study were the relatively small cohort and lack of access to the weight history of all our subjects.

Conclusion

Results offer a research line to be followed with an expanded number of subjects that may provide a better statistical significance, to unravel the high mortality rate in this population.

Antagonizing effects of membrane-acting androgens on the eicosanoid receptor OXER1 in prostate cancer

Accumulating evidence during the last decades revealed that androgen can exert membrane initiated actions that involve signaling via specific kinases and the modulation of significant cellular processes, important for prostate cancer cell growth and metastasis. Results of the present work clearly show that androgens can specifically act at the membrane level via the GPCR oxoeicosanoid receptor 1 (OXER1) in prostate cancer cells. In fact, OXER1 expression parallels that of membrane androgen binding in prostate cancer cell lines and tumor specimens, while in silico docking simulation of OXER1 showed that testosterone could bind to OXER1 within the same grove as 5-OxoETE, the natural ligand of OXER1. Interestingly, testosterone antagonizes the effects of 5-oxoETE on specific signaling pathways and rapid effects such as actin cytoskeleton reorganization that ultimately can modulate cell migration and metastasis. These findings verify that membrane-acting androgens exert specific effects through an antagonistic interaction with OXER1. Additionally, this interaction between androgen and OXER1, which is an arachidonic acid metabolite receptor expressed in prostate cancer, provides a novel link between steroid and lipid actions and renders OXER1 as new player in the disease. These findings should be taken into account in the design of novel therapeutic approaches in prostate cancer.

Metabolic syndrome, obesity, and the risk of cancer development

BACKGROUND

Metabolic syndrome and its components are severe global health issues that are increasing in frequency as the prevalence of obesity increases. Various studies have established a correlation between metabolic syndrome and diseases including, diabetes mellitus, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, and cardiovascular disease. In recent years, correlations have also been detected between obesity and metabolic syndrome and the prevalence of certain types of cancer. The current study examines whether obesity and metabolic syndrome components are risk factors for cancer among the adult population in Israel.

METHODS

A cohort study analysis was performed of 24,987 initially healthy men and women who underwent yearly medical assessments at the Institute for Medical Screening in the Sheba Medical Center. Data from the Institute for Medical Screening database was correlated with that from the Israel Cancer Center in the Ministry of Health updated to December 2013. The correlation between metabolic syndrome, obesity, and the overall risk of cancer as well as the risks of specific types of cancer were examined.

RESULTS

Of 20,444 subjects for whom complete data were available, 1535 were diagnosed with cancer during the mean follow-up time of 104.3months. In a multi-variant analysis, no significant correlation was found between metabolic syndrome or obesity and the incidence of cancer. When the data were stratified by gender and cancer type, however, a significant association between metabolic syndrome and breast cancer in women was observed (P=0.03, HR=1.67, 95% CI=1.05-2.67).

CONCLUSION

Metabolic syndrome correlates with higher than expected breast cancer incidence in women.