Significant decrease in angiopoietin-1 and angiopoietin-2 after radical prostatectomy in prostate cancer patients

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Vascular Biology
• Surgical Pathology

Background:

• Coagulation/platelet activation and angiogenesis abnormalities are common in human cancers.
• Prostate cancer is associated with these pathological processes.
• The role of surgical intervention in modulating these markers is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of radical prostatectomy (RP) on coagulation/platelet activation and angiogenesis markers in prostate cancer.
• To determine if surgical removal of the primary tumor influences these biological processes.

Main Methods:

• Plasma and platelet samples were collected from 42 men with prostate cancer (24 RP, 12 other treatments, 6 no treatment).
• Markers of vascular/coagulation/platelet activation (vWf, sPsel, fibrinogen, D-dimer) and angiogenesis (VEGF, Ang-1, Ang-2, s-Flt-1, s-Tie-2) were measured.
• Measurements were taken at baseline and at 3- and 12-month intervals post-surgery for RP patients.

Main Results:

• Radical prostatectomy led to significant decreases in plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), soluble P selectin (sPsel), and fibrinogen levels at 3 and/or 12 months.
• Specific reductions observed: VEGF to 48%, Ang-1 to 82%, Ang-2 to 27%, sPsel to 78%, and fibrinogen to 91% of pre-surgery levels.
• Relative falls in Ang-2, Ang-1, and VEGF were not statistically significant (p=0.448).

Conclusions:

• Radical prostatectomy is associated with a reduction in markers of angiogenesis and platelet activation.
• These findings suggest that prostate tumors and/or their secreted factors largely drive these pathological processes.
• Surgical removal of the primary tumor results in a gradual normalization of measured indices.