Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2015:2015:812815.
doi: 10.1155/2015/812815. Epub 2015 Feb 22.

The role of androgen receptor expression in the curative treatment of prostate cancer with radiotherapy: a pilot study

Filip Poelaert  1 , Charles Van Praet  1 , Anne-Sophie Beerens  2 , Gert De Meerleer  3 , Valérie Fonteyne  3 , Piet Ost  3 , Nicolaas Lumen  1
Affiliations

The role of androgen receptor expression in the curative treatment of prostate cancer with radiotherapy: a pilot study

Filip Poelaert et al. Biomed Res Int. 2015.

Abstract

The androgen receptor (AR) and its signaling pathway play an important role in the development and progression of prostate cancer (PCa). In the setting of primary treatment of PCa with radiotherapy (RT), where the AR can be expected to be of more importance, studies evaluating the AR expression are lacking. The goal of this research is to evaluate AR protein expression in hormone-naive PCa patients treated by RT and investigate its possible prognostic role. Primary biopsy samples of 18 patients treated with primary RT were analyzed including the corresponding clinical information. AR protein expression of the tumor epithelium (with highest Gleason pattern) and the surrounding stroma was quantified using the Quick score for steroid receptors. The differential expression between epithelium and stroma, respectively, between tumor and normal tissue (ΔTumor - ΔBenign >2 versus ≤ 2), was predictive for clinical progression-free survival in the biopsy samples (P = 0.014). Preliminary results of this research show already a promising role of differential AR expression in predicting clinical relapse after PCa treatment with primary EBRT. Further research is needed to validate these findings. Hopefully this can lead to a better understanding of PCa evolution and eventually lead to better therapy strategies.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
ΔTumor − ΔBenign in the relapse group versus no relapse group, stratified according to pN stage.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Clinical progression-free survival subdivided by Quick score of the tumor stroma <2 versus ≥2, (a) for all biopsy samples and (b) for all IHC samples (18 biopsies + 5 prostatectomy specimens).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Clinical progression-free survival subdivided by ΔTumor − ΔBenign >2 versus ≤2 for all samples (1 missing value of normal stroma).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Clinical progression-free survival subdivided by ΔTumor − ΔBenign >2 versus ≤2 for all biopsy samples (1 missing value of normal stroma).
Figure 5
Figure 5
ROC-curve: representing the use of ΔTumor − ΔBenign as a prediction method for clinical relapse.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Wein A. J., Kavoussi L. R., Novick A. C., Partin A. W., Peters C. A. Molecular biology, and physiology of the prostate. In: Berman D. M., editor. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 10th. Philadelphia, Pa, USA: WB Saunders; 2011.
    1. Huggins C., Hodges C. V. Studies on prostatic cancer. I. The effect of castration, of estrogen and of androgen injection on serum phosphatases in metastatic carcinoma of the prostate. 1941. Journal of Urology. 2002;167(2) part 2:948–952. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5347(02)80307-x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Heidenreich A., Bastian P. J., Bellmunt J., et al. EAU guidelines on prostate cancer. Part 1: screening, diagnosis, and local treatment with curative intent—update 2013. European Urology. 2014;65(1):124–137. doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2013.09.046. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Meng M. V., Carroll P. M. Treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer. In: Wein A. J., Kavoussi L. R., Novick A. C., Partin A. W., Peters C. A., editors. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 10th. Philadelphia, Pa, USA: WB Saunders; 2011.
    1. Heinlein C. A., Chang C. Androgen receptor in prostate cancer. Endocrine Reviews. 2004;25(2):276–308. doi: 10.1210/er.2002-0032. - DOI - PubMed