In a nutshell
The authors aimed to determine the effect of two genes – ERG and PTEN – as markers in prostate cancer progression.
Some background
Prostate surgery is a common treatment in prostate cancer. It involves surgically removing the prostate gland. The ERG gene is a cancer gene that contains a protein that is typically mutated (changed from the normal state) in cancer. The PTEN gene acts as a tumor supressor (protects normal cells from progressing to cancer cells) and is mutated in numerous cancers. Biochemical recurrence (BCR) occurs when there is an increase in prostate specific antigen (PSA – protein elevated in the blood that indicates cancer is present). Production levels of ERG and PTEN can promote BCR and can increase patient risk.
Further studies are needed to determine the link between these specific genes and BCR in prostate cancer patients.
Methods & findings
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of ERG and PTEN genes as favorable markers in prostate cancer progression.
Tissue samples from 613 patients were taken for this study. All patients had undergone prostate surgery The median (mid-point) follow-up period was 44 months.
21.5% of patients developed BCR. ERG over-production occurred in 23.7% of patients. Loss of PTEN genes occurred in 41.3% of patients. BCR-free survival (patients who did not experience biochemical recurrence after treatment) was significantly better in patients with ERG over-production. Patients with PTEN loss had unfavorable BCR- free survival. Patients with PTEN loss and low levels of ERG production had the worst BCR-free survival outcomes. PSA levels, Gleason scores (scoring system that compares cancer cells and normal cells), tumor stage and positive surgical margins (how much cancer tissue remains at tumor site after surgery) were identified as significant risk factors for BCR.
The bottom line
The authors concluded that ERG over-production was associated with a favorable BCR-free survival after prostate surgery. PTEN loss was associated with unfavorable outcomes.
Published By :
PLOS ONE
Date :
Apr 21, 2015
