Prognostic value of morphologic and clinical parameters in pT2 - pT3 prostate cancer

Neuroendocrine cells in prostate cancer correlate with poor outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature to understand the variation in the reporting of neuroendocrine staining and determine the influence of reporting neuroendocrine staining at diagnosis on patient outcomes.

METHODS

Medical databases were searched to identify studies in which adenocarcinoma specimens were stained with any of the following four neuroendocrine markers: chromogranin A (CgA), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), synaptophysin and CD56. The prevalence of neuroendocrine staining and correlation of the prevalence of neuroendocrine staining to patient outcomes were analysed using a random-effects model. All statistical tests were two-sided.

RESULTS

Sixty-two studies spanning 7616 patients were analysed. The pooled prevalence for the most common marker, CgA (41%), was similar to that of NSE (39%) and higher than that of synaptophysin (31%). The prevalence of CgA staining was significantly influenced by reporting criteria, where objective thresholds reduced the variation in prevalence to 26%. No correlation was found between CgA prevalence and tumour grade. Patients positive for CgA staining using objective criteria had more rapid biochemical progression (hazard ratio [HR] 1.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.49 to 2.65) and poorer prostate cancer-specific survival (HR 7.03, 95% CI 2.55 to 19.39) compared to negative patients, even among those with low-risk cancers.

CONCLUSION

Discrepancies in the reported prevalence of neuroendocrine cells in adenocarcinoma are driven by the inconsistent scoring criteria. This study unequivocally demonstrates that when neuroendocrine cell staining is assessed with objective criteria it identifies patients with poor clinical outcomes. Future studies are needed to determine the exact quantifiable thresholds for use in reporting neuroendocrine cell staining to identify patients at higher risk of progression.

Ki67 is a promising molecular target in the diagnosis of cancer (review)

The expression of Ki67 is strongly associated with tumor cell proliferation and growth, and is widely used in routine pathological investigation as a proliferation marker. The nuclear protein Ki67 (pKi67) is an established prognostic and predictive indicator for the assessment of biopsies from patients with cancer. Clinically, pKi67 has been shown to correlate with metastasis and the clinical stage of tumors. In addition, it has been shown that Ki67 expression is significantly higher malignant tissues with poorly differentiated tumor cells, as compared with normal tissue. According to its predictive role, pKi67 expression identifies subpopulations of patients who are more likely to respond to a given therapy. The Ki67 labeling index is an independent prognostic factor for survival rate, which includes all stages and grade categories. There is a correlation between the ratio of Ki67‑positive malignant cells and patient survival. It has been shown that blocking of Ki67 either by microinjection of antibodies or through the use of antisense oligonucleotides leads to the arrest of cell proliferation. Specifically, antisense oligonucleotides and antibodies against pKi67 have been shown to inhibit the progression of the cell cycle. The Ki67 protein is well characterized at the molecular level and is extensively used as a prognostic and predictive marker for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Increasing evidence indicates that Ki67 may be an effective target in cancer therapy. It therefore merits further development, including testing in more sophisticated in vitro and appropriate in vivo models. This review provides an overview of recent advances in this field.

[Analysis of complications in metastatic prostate cancer patients submitted to bilateral orchiectomy]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the possible complications that the surgical hormonal ablation can cause to the submitted patients.

METHODS

That's an analytical transversal study with a sample of 25 patients, between 58 to 82 years, carriers of metastatic prostate cancer, submitted to the bilateral orchiectomy in the Professor Alberto Antunes University Hospital 's (HUPAA-UFAL), in the period of January of 2003 to December of 2008. It was made an evaluation by an objective questionnaire for those who were still alive.

RESULTS

Of the 25 evaluated patients, 56% were still alive, with average of current age of 71 years, having presented as more frequent complications: reduction of the libido and sexual impotence (100%), bone fragility (64%), problems of memory and variations of mood (57%), hot waves and gain of weight (50%). 86% of the interviewed ones had related to be satisfied with the results of the procedure and had affirmed that they can have a normal daily life, with significant improvement of the clinical stage. About the adjuvant treatments, only 36% had carried through, being most common, chemotherapy (36%) and x-ray (29%).

CONCLUSION

The bilateral orchiectomy constitutes in a good alternative for metastatic prostate cancer patients, in a way that it is observed satisfaction of the majority of the patients in relation to the improvement of the symptoms and the presented complications had not great impact in the daily life of the same ones.