Correlation of blood group antigen expression and oncogene-related proteins in malignant prostatic tissues

The use of multiple tumor markers could better predict the behavior of malignant tumors. In prostate cancer, there are no reliably predictive markers for metastatic behavior but the histologic grade and clinical stage of tumor do influence prognosis. We have determined the expression of blood group antigens A, B, H, Lewis-a and Lewis-b and the proto-oncogene proteins v-erbB, c-fos and v-H-ras in both benign and malignant prostate tissues by immunohistochemistry. We determined the relationship between these markers and the grade of malignancy and by inference, clinical behavior. There was reduced expression of blood group antigens A, Lewis-a and Lewis-b in all grades of prostatic adenocarcinoma. We also found that the expression of v-erbB was greater in tumors of high grade. We suggest that loss of blood group antigens may be correlated with elevated v-erbB oncoprotein expression (related to epidermal growth factor receptor) and increasing grade of prostatic malignancy.