Publications (25) View all
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Article: Prostate health index (phi) and prostate cancer antigen 3 (PCA3) significantly improve diagnostic accuracy in patients undergoing prostate biopsy.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Prostate health index (phi) and prostate cancer antigen 3 (PCA3) have been recently proposed as novel biomarkers for prostate cancer (PCa). We assessed the diagnostic performance of these biomarkers, alone or in combination, in men undergoing first prostate biopsy for suspicion of PCa. METHODS: One hundred sixty male subjects were enrolled in this prospective observational study. PSA molecular forms, phi index (Beckman coulter immunoassay), PCA3 score (Progensa PCA3 assay), and other established biomarkers (tPSA, fPSA, and %fPSA) were assessed before patients underwent a 18-core first prostate biopsy. The discriminating ability between PCa-negative and PCa-positive biopsies of Beckman coulter phi and PCA3 score and other used biomarkers were determined. RESULTS: One hundred sixty patients met inclusion criteria. %p2PSA (p2PSA/fPSA × 100), phi and PCA3 were significantly higher in patients with PCa compared to PCa-negative group (median values: 1.92 vs. 1.55, 49.97 vs. 36.84, and 50 vs. 32, respectively, P ≤ 0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that %p2PSA, phi, and PCA3 are good indicator of malignancy (AUCs = 0.68, 0.71, and 0.66, respectively). A multivariable logistic regression model consisting of both the phi index and PCA3 score allowed to reach an overall diagnostic accuracy of 0.77. Decision curve analysis revealed that this "combined" marker achieved the highest net benefit over the examined range of the threshold probability. CONCLUSIONS: phi and PCA3 showed no significant difference in the ability to predict PCa diagnosis in men undergoing first prostate biopsy. However, diagnostic performance is significantly improved by combining phi and PCA3. Prostate © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.The Prostate 07/2012; · 3.48 Impact Factor -
Article: Predicting prostate biopsy outcome: prostate health index (phi) and prostate cancer antigen 3 (PCA3) are useful biomarkers.
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ABSTRACT: Indication for prostate biopsy is presently mainly based on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) serum levels and digital-rectal examination (DRE). In view of the unsatisfactory accuracy of these two diagnostic exams, research has focused on novel markers to improve pre-biopsy prostate cancer detection, such as phi and PCA3. The purpose of this prospective study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of phi and PCA3 for prostate cancer using biopsy as gold standard. Phi index (Beckman coulter immunoassay), PCA3 score (Progensa PCA3 assay) and other established biomarkers (tPSA, fPSA and %fPSA) were assessed before a 18-core prostate biopsy in a group of 251 subjects at their first biopsy. Values of %p2PSA and phi were significantly higher in patients with PCa compared with PCa-negative group (p<0.001) and also compared with high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) (p<0.001). PCA3 score values were significantly higher in PCa compared with PCa-negative subjects (p<0.001) and in HGPIN vs PCa-negative patients (p<0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that %p2PSA, phi and PCA3 are predictive of malignancy. In conclusion, %p2PSA, phi and PCA3 may predict a diagnosis of PCa in men undergoing their first prostate biopsy. PCA3 score is more useful in discriminating between HGPIN and non-cancer.Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry 04/2012; 413(15-16):1274-8. · 2.54 Impact Factor -
Article: Soluble interleukin-6 receptor to interleukin-6 (sIL‑6R/IL-6) ratio in serum as a predictor of high Gleason sum at radical prostatectomy.
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ABSTRACT: Approximately 40% of males with low Gleason grade clinically localized prostate cancer (PCa) at biopsy were finally diagnosed with high Gleason grade PCa at radical prostatectomy (RP). Therefore, a more reliable assessment of the Gleason grade prior to RP is required. Readily available modalities such as circulating biomarkers may be useful for this purpose. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of preoperative interleukin 6 (IL‑6) and its soluble receptor (sIL‑6R), as well as urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA), its receptor (u-PAR) and the inhibitor (PAI-1) to predict Gleason score upgrading. A total of 51 PCa patients with biopsy Gleason score ≤7 were studied. IL‑6 and sIL‑6R, uPA, uPAR and PAI-1 preoperative serum levels were determined. Differences in the median and mean values of the preoperative blood levels of all biomarkers between patients with and without Gleason score upgrading were tested. The prognostic performance of each biomarker was further assessed by means of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The results showed the sIL‑6R and sIL‑6R/IL-6 ratio median levels to be significantly higher in patients who had Gleason score upgrading from ≤7 at biopsy to >7 at RP (p=0.024 and p=0.011, respectively). The ROC curve revealed that sIL‑6R and the sIL‑6R/IL‑6 ratio identified subjects at a high risk of upgrading [area under curve (AUC)=0.80 and AUC=0.83, respectively] with similar sensitivity and higher specificity for the ratio. The findings suggest that preoperative sIL‑6R and sIL‑6R/IL‑6 ratio determination in serum are useful as prognostic biomarkers in PCa patients.Oncology letters 09/2011; 2(5):861-864. · 0.11 Impact Factor -
Article: Preoperative insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) blood level predicts gleason sum upgrading.
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ABSTRACT: About 43% of men with low Gleason grade prostate cancer (PCa) at biopsy will be finally diagnosed with high-grade PCa at radical prostatectomy (RP). Gleason sum at RP is a good indicator of biochemical recurrence and poor clinical outcome. Therefore, there is a need to improve clinical evaluation of PCa aggressiveness in order to choice appropriate treatment. To this aim an easy-available tool is represented by circulating biomarkers. Among these, the best candidates are some molecules involved in PCa pathogenesis such as IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-3, IL-6, and its soluble receptor (SIL-6R). In this study, we evaluated the ability of preoperative IGFBP-2, IGFBP-3, IL-6, and SIL-6R serum levels to predict Gleason score upgrade in 52 PCa patients. We found that IGFBP-3 median levels were significantly lower in patients who showed Gleason upgrading from biopsy to RP (P = 0.024). We also found an association between biopsy T-stage and Gleason Upgrade (P = 0.011). Using multivariate logistic regression model, we demonstrated that the association of IGFBP-3 serum levels together with biopsy T-stage and biopsy Gleason score was useful to calculate a prognostic risk score. ROC curve analysis of risk score showed a good ability to predict GSU (AUC = 0.81; 95% CI 0.69-0.93). Our results suggest that preoperative IGFBP-3 circulating levels determination may be useful to predict Gleason score upgrading alone and/or in combination with biopsy T-stage and biopsy Gleason score.The Prostate 04/2011; 72(1):100-7. · 3.48 Impact Factor -
Article: Effects of the ErbB1/ErbB2 kinase inhibitor GW2974 on androgen-independent prostate cancer PC-3 cell line growth and NSE, chromogranin A and osteopontin content.
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ABSTRACT: Prostate cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men. Treatment by radical prostatectomy, radiotherapy and anti-androgen drugs is successful in patients with localized cancer. However, prolonged androgen deprivation often leads to hormone refractory condition, associated with disease relapse. ErbB1 and ErbB2 activity has been correlated with androgen-independence. We determined the effects of GW2974, a dual inhibitor of ErbB-1 and ErbB-2 tyrosine kinase activity, on growth, NSE, chromogranin A and osteopontin cytosol content in the androgen-independent prostate cancer cell line PC-3. We found that PC-3 cell growth was inhibited by GW2974, whereas NSE and chromogranin A cell contents were stimulated and osteopontin cytosol level was not affected. The present data may have clinical implications for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.Oncology Reports 07/2010; 24(1):213-7. · 1.84 Impact Factor
