[Predictive factors for clinically significant elevation of post-prostatectomy Gleason score in patients with biopsy Gleason score ≤7].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognostic factors for clinically significant increase in post-prostatectomy Gleason score (pGS) in patients with biopsy Gleason score (bGS) ≤7. METHODS: This retrospective study included 170 cases of prostate cancer treated by radical prostatectomy in our hospital from January 2010 to December 2017. We analyzed the clinical and pathological data on the patients, including the age, preoperative serum tPSA, fPSA, fPSA / tPSA, prostate volume, PSA density (PSAD), and positive puncture rate of the patients with clinically significant elevation of pGS, as well as the possible factors for clinically significant pGS increase in patients with bGS = 7 and those with bGS ≤ 6. RESULTS: The pGS was found consistent with the bGS in 95 (55.9%) of the 170 patients, decreased in 11 (6.5%) and increased in 64 (37.6%). Among those with elevated pGS, 55 (32.4%) were shown with and the other 9 (5.3%) without clinical significance. Clinically significant escalation of pGS was markedly correlated with the positive puncture rate in the patients with bGS = 7 (P = 0.021) and with the age (P = 0.018) and PSAD (P = 0.033) of those with bGS ≤ 6. ROC curve analysis further showed the positive puncture rate > 0.528 in the patients with bGS = 7 and a higher risk of clinically significant pGS increase in those aged > 64.5 years with bGS ≤ 6 and PSAD > 0.267 µg/(L·g). CONCLUSIONS: Clinically significant elevation of pGS is correlated with the rate of positive punctures in prostate cancer patients with bGS = 7 and with age and PSAD in those with bGS ≤ 6.

Breviscapine (BVP) inhibits prostate cancer progression through damaging DNA by minichromosome maintenance protein-7 (MCM-7) modulation.

Naturally occurring compounds are reported as effective candidates for prevention and treatment of various cancers. Breviscapine (BVP) is a mixture of flavonoid glycosides, derived from the Chinese herbs. Previous researches have indicated that BVP has comprehensive pharmacological functions. However, little is known about whether BVP has preventive effects on human prostate cancer. Here, we attempted to explore if BVP inhibits human prostate cancer in vitro and in vivo in a comprehensive manner. We found that BVP triggered cytotoxicity in prostate cancer cell lines dose-dependently. BVP-induced DNA damage caused the cell cycle arrest and apoptosis and further induced cell death. High expression of MCM-7 was reduced in BVP-treated cancer cells and tumor tissues, and also the DNA damage response marker of γH2AX is down-regulated by BVP, associated with MCM-7 expression through regulating retinoblastoma protein (Rb) and checkpoint control proteins expression. Additionally, BVP induced apoptotic response in prostate cancer cells and tumors via activating Caspase-3 and PARP. In vivo studies indicated that BVP impeded tumor growth in xenograft animal models. In conclusion, our data indicates that breviscapine (BVP) can be further explored for its potential, which might be used in human prostate cancer therapeutics.

[Adenovirus-mediated combined gene therapy of interleukin-18 and interleukin-12 for prostate cancer: an experimental study].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the therapeutic regimens of metastatic prostate cancer so as to provide the experimental rationales for its gene therapy. METHODS: The adenoviral vectors expressing cytokines interleukin-18 (IL-18) and interleukin-12 (IL-12) were used to induce tumor regression in a C57BL/6 murine model of prostate cancer (n = 110). RESULTS: Adenoviral vectors could express IL-18 and IL-12 effectively. The rates of tumorigenesis were 10/10, 10/10, 4/10, 5/10 and 2/10, the durations of tumor growth (12.3 ± 1.5), (12.8 ± 1.0), (15.4 ± 1.3), (14.8 ± 0.8), (24.5 ± 2.2) days and the diameters of tumor nodule after inoculation 30 days (37.0 ± 3.0), (35.0 ± 4.6), (25.0 ± 2.0), (27.0 ± 4.1) and (9.5 ± 3.2) mm respectively in inoculation wild-type, AdLacZ, AdmIL-18, AdhIL-12, AdmIL-18 and AdhIL-12 of RM-1 cell. Compared to the other four groups, AdmIL-18 and AdhIL-12 developed smaller and delayed tumors (P < 0.01). Intratumoral injection of Adm IL-18 and AdhIL-12 could not only regress the established tumors, but also reduce the number of distal lung metastases (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Adenovirus-mediated delivery of IL-18 and IL-12 locally by intratumoral injection is highly effective in inducing specific antitumor immune responses.