Preoperative PROSTATE scoring system: a potential predictive tool for the risk of biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

PURPOSE: To study the association between the preoperative PROSTATE scoring system and the prediction of biochemical recurrence (BCR) risk, after radical prostatectomy (RP) in prostate cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 340 patients who underwent a laparoscopic radical prostatectomy in Peking University First Hospital between November 2007 and March 2016 were included in the study. The preoperative PROSTATE scoring system was measured and calculated. The performance of the scoring system to predict BCR risk was estimated using the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve). BCR-free survival was analyzed using the Kaplan- Meier method, and the log-rank test was applied to compare the differences in risk among the patient groups. The Cox proportional hazards regression was used to analyze the performance of the grouped PROSTATE scores. RESULTS: Of the total population, 91 (26.8%) patients had BCR. The PROSTATE score was significantly different between the BCR-developed and BCR-free groups (P<0.001). The ROC curve analysis of the scoring system showed an accuracy of 70.7% (95% CI 0.643-0.771) (P<0.001). The percentage of BCR in the high-risk (10-15), moderate-risk (5-9) and low-risk (0-4) groups was 63.3%, 24.6% and 10.3% respectively (P<0.001). The Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that the grouped score was an independent predictor of BCR after RP (HR=2.002; 95% CI 1.222-3.280) (P=0.006). CONCLUSION: The PROSTATE scoring system performed adequately in predicting the risk of BCR after RP. The scoring system can assist in decision-making about the operation and post- operative follow-up for patients with high-risk.

The Institute of Urology, Peking University prostatectomy score: a simple preoperative classification of prostate cancer for predicting surgical difficulty and risk.

Traditional laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is a treatment choice in many developing countries and regions for most patients with localized prostate cancer; however, no system for predicting surgical difficulty and risk has been established. This study aimed to propose a simple and standard preoperative classification system of prostate cancer using preoperative data to predict surgical difficulty and risk and to evaluate the relationship between the data and postoperative complications. We collected data from 236 patients and divided them into three groups to evaluate and validate the relationships among preoperative, operative, and postoperative data. This new scoring system is based on the body mass index, ultrasonic prostate volume, preoperative prostate-specific antigen level, middle lobe protrusion, and clinical stage. In the scoring group, we classified 89 patients into two groups: the low-risk group (score of <4) and high-risk group (score of ≥4), and then compared the postoperative data between the two groups. The positive surgical margin rate was higher in the high-risk group than low-risk group. The results in validation Groups A and B were similar to those in the scoring group. The focus of our scoring system is to allow for preliminary assessment of surgical difficulty by collecting the patients' basic information. Urologists can easily use the scoring system to evaluate the surgical difficulty and predict the risks of a positive surgical margin and urinary incontinence in patients undergoing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.

Tetrahydrocurcumin induces G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis involving p38 MAPK activation in human breast cancer cells.

Curcumin (CUR) is a major naturally-occurring polyphenol of Curcuma species, which is commonly used as a yellow coloring and flavoring agent in foods. In recent years, it has been reported that CUR exhibits significant anti-tumor activity in vivo. However, the pharmacokinetic features of CUR have indicated poor oral bioavailability, which may be related to its extensive metabolism. The CUR metabolites might be responsible for the antitumor pharmacological effects in vivo. Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC) is one of the major metabolites of CUR. In the present study, we examined the efficacy and associated mechanism of action of THC in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells for the first time. Here, THC exhibited significant cell growth inhibition by inducing MCF-7 cells to undergo mitochondrial apoptosis and G2/M arrest. Moreover, co-treatment of MCF-7 cells with THC and p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB203580, effectively reversed the dissipation in mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm), and blocked THC-mediated Bax up-regulation, Bcl-2 down-regulation, caspase-3 activation as well as p21 up-regulation, suggesting p38 MAPK might mediate THC-induced apoptosis and G2/M arrest. Taken together, these results indicate THC might be an active antitumor form of CUR in vivo, and it might be selected as a potentially effective agent for treatment of human breast cancer.