Estrogen recceptor-beta in cancer prostate: clincal and immunohistochemical study

ABSTRACT

The role of estrogen and its receptors in the etiology and progression of prostate cancer [PC] is poorly understood. This study was designed to determine the patterns of estrogen receptor-beta [ER-beta] expression in malignant human prostate and its association with the clinical outcome. Fifty radical prostatectomy specimens from patients with clinically localized PC were assessed for ER-beta expression using immunohistochemistry [IHC]. Out of the 50 cancer specimens, only 8/50 [16%] were ER-beta positive. Statistically, the ER-beta presence in PC specimens was studied in relation to the different prognostic variables. The ER-beta positivity was statistically significant in association with the prostate gland-confined tumor [p=0.4794], the seminal gland invasion [p=0.0001], pelvic lymph node metastasis [p=0.0080] and Gleason grade [p=0.0044]. The disease relapse was significant in association with the ER-beta immuno-positivity [p=0.1179]. On the other hand there was no significant association with prostatic specific antigen [PSA] level and surgical margins invasion [p=0.9746 and 0.9017 respectively]. We demonstrated that the ER-beta expression in prostate cancer is associated with higher Gleason grade tumours and with higher metastatic potential. The ER-beta could be one of the key processes leading to uncontrolled growth of prostate epithelial cells