Prostate Cancer Scientific Abstracts - S. Aaltomaa

Welcome to the Prostate Cancer Guide scientific abstracts, author section S. Aaltomaa.

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Selected S. Aaltomaa prostate cancer abstracts

Journal: Anticancer research

Pubmed ID: 16334164

Authors: Aaltomaa S, Karja V, Lipponen P, Isotalo T, Kankkunen JP, Talja M, Mokka R.

Title: Reduced alpha and beta-catenin expression predicts shortened survival in local prostate cancer.

The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of alpha- and beta-catenin expressions in local prostate cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and eighty-one prostate cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy were followed-up for a mean of 7.3 years. The alpha- and beta-catenin expression were analysed by immunohistochemistry TMT (tissue microarray technique) and light microscopy.

RESULTS: Strong a-catenin expression was related to low Gleason grade (p < 0.001), cancer-free seminal vesicles (p = 0.04) and low preoperative PSA (p = 0.02). Strong beta-catenin expression was related to low Gleason grade (p < 0.001) and cancer-free seminal vesicle status (p = 0.03). Absence of nuclear beta-catenin expression was related to local disease (pT1-T2) (p = 0.05). alpha-catenin (p = 0.06), beta-catenin (p = 0.05), Gleason grade (p = 0.03) and capsular invasion (p = 0.01) were related to PSA recurrence in patients who reached PSA zero postoperatively. PSA recurrence-free survival (RFS) was significantly related to Gleason grade (p < 0.001), capsule invasion (p = 0.01), perineural growth (p = 0.05) and preoperative PSA (p = 0.05). In Cox's analysis, independent predictors of PSA RFS were Gleason grade (p < 0.001) and capsular invasion (p = 0.006). Low expressions of alpha- (p = 0.06) and beta-catenin (p = 0.05) were related to shortened PSA RFS. Survival was related to low alpha- (p = 0.011) and beta-catenin (p = 0.016) expressions. Independent predictors of shortened survival were seminal vesicle invasion (p = 0.016) and low alpha-catenin expression (p = 0.049).

CONCLUSION: Reduced alpha- or beta-catenin expressions are related to malignant phenotype in local prostate cancer and predict PSA failure as well as shortened survival.

Contact: Department of Urology, Kuopio University Hospital, P.O. Box 1777, FIN-70210 Kuopio, Finland.  sirpa.aaltomaa@kuh.fi

Journal: Urology Int.

Pubmed ID: 12444281

Authors: Aaltomaa S, Lipponen P, Tammi R, Tammi M, Viitanen J, Kankkunen JP, Kosma VM.

Title: Strong Stromal Hyaluronan Expression Is Associated with PSA Recurrence in Local Prostate Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: HA (hyaluronan) is involved in cell migration, differentiation and cell proliferation, which all are essential to tumour growth. In addition, the cell surface receptor of hyaluronan CD44, is important in cancer cell adhesion, cell migration and tumour neovascularisation. We studied the expression of HA and CD44 and their relationship with other prognostic factors and prostate-specific antigen recurrence in local prostate cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: 77 prostate cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy were followed-up for a mean of 4 years. HA was detected by using a HA specific probe and CD44 expression was analysed by conventional immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS: All specimens expressed HA in tumour stroma and 78% (60/77) of the tumours showed strong stromal expression of hyaluronan. The fraction of positively stained specimens for CD44 was 66% (51/77). The strong stromal hyaluronan expression was related to perineural infiltration (p = 0.001) and capsule invasion (p = 0.05). No correlation was demonstrated between the stromal hyaluronan expression and CD44 expression, preoperative PSA, clinical or pathological T classification, pN status, Gleason grade, seminal vesicle invasion or surgical margin invasion. Reduced CD44 expression was related only to preoperative prostate-specific antigen level (p = 0.008). The prostate-specific antigen recurrence was predicted by strong stromal hyaluronan expression, pT classification, seminal vesicle invasion, capsule invasion and surgical margin invasion (p <or= 0.02 for all). pT classification and seminal vesicle infiltration predicted prostate-specific antigen recurrence free survival (RFS). In the multivariate analysis only the seminal vesicle infiltration was an independent predictor of prostate-specific antigen RFS (p = 0.009).

CONCLUSION: The strong stromal hyaluronan expression was related to prostate-specific antigen recurrence, perineural infiltration and seminal vesicle invasion. Those are the factors related to unfavourable prognosis, but the follow-up period of this series is too short to make definitive prognostic conclusions.

Contact: Department of Urology, Kuopio University Hospital, P.O. Box 1777, FIN-70210 Kuopio, Finland.  sirpa.aaltomaa@kuh.fi