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Title: Elevated Biomarkers More Accurately Predict Risk for Prostate Cancer Recurrence
URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/2245F6.htm
Doctor's Guide
June 26, 2008

PHILADELPHIA -- June 26, 2008 -- A simple blood test screening for a panel of biomarkers can accurately predict whether a patient who has had prostate cancer surgery will have a recurrence or spread of the disease.

These findings are a major step forward in prostate cancer care. Texas researchers reported in Clinical Cancer Research that the presence of 7 of these biomarkers can predict prostate cancer risk with 86.6% reliability. This is at least 15 percentage points higher than standard clinical measures currently in use, the researchers said.

"We have been looking at these biomarkers for the past 10 to 15 years in the laboratory, but now we can translate these findings into progress for the individual patient," said Shahrokh F. Shariat, MD, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.

Dr. Shariat and colleagues enrolled 423 patients who were surgically treated for prostate cancer with either radical prostatectomy or bilateral lymphadenectomy. Using commonly available blood tests, they measured levels of the following 7 biomarkers: transforming growth factor-beta1, interleukin-6, interleukin-6 soluble receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, and endoglin, urokinase plasminogen activator.

Patients were followed for approximately 4 years, and researchers noted cancer recurrence in 17.7% of patients. Elevated levels of the 7 biomarkers were associated with increased risk of relapse. For example, the presence of urokinase plasminogen inhibitor-1 increased risk by 37%, while the presence of vascular endothelial growth factor increased risk by 47%. The combination of all 7 biomarker variables accurately predicted risk 86.6% of the time in this study.

"This is a large and unique improvement for patient care. Neither preoperative MRI [magnetic resonance imaging] nor any of the clinical features we have used before even comes close to this level of accuracy," Dr. Shariat said.


SOURCE: American Association for Cancer Research

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