Correlation between pretreatment serum biochemical markers and treatment outcome for prostatic cancer with bony metastasis

Abstract

Background: This study was undertaken to evaluate whether or not pretreatment serum biochemical markers are prognostic factors for prostatic cancer with bony metastasis in patients on hormonal treatment.

Methods: Between 1983 and 1998, 127 patients with prostatic cancer and bony metastasis were included for evaluation. Serum prostate-specific antigen, alkaline phosphatase, calcium (Ca), lactic dehydrogenase, inorganic phosphate, gamma-glutamine transpeptidase, uric acid, albumin (Alb), iron, cholesterol (Cho), triglyceride, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and hemoglobin (Hb) were checked before treatment. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to their response (group 1, good response; group 2, poor response).

Results: There were 54 patients in group 1 and 73 patients in group 2. Pretreatment levels of serum Ca, Alb, Cho and Hb were higher in group 1 than in group 2, while the other parameters were lower in group 1 than in group 2; only pretreatment levels of serum Ca, Alb and Hb were significantly different between groups (p < 0.05). When stratified by tumor grading, patients in group 1 still had significantly higher pretreatment levels of Ca, Alb and Hb than those in group 2.

Conclusion: Higher pretreatment serum levels of Ca, Alb and Hb are good prognostic factors for patients with metastatic prostatic cancer on hormonal treatment, irrespective of tumor grading.