EN2 in Prostate Cancer.
Sophie E McGrath1, Agnieszka Michael1, Richard Morgan1
1Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom.
Advances in Clinical Chemistry
|September 29, 2015
Summary
The homeodomain transcription factor EN2, secreted in urine by prostate tumors, shows promise as a diagnostic biomarker. It may help identify significant prostate cancer, addressing a critical unmet clinical need.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Oncology
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Prostate cancer diagnosis lacks sufficient reliable biomarkers for significant disease.
- Current diagnostic methods have limitations in identifying clinically relevant prostate cancer.
- There is a critical need for biomarkers that indicate the presence or absence of significant prostate cancer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the potential of EN2 as a diagnostic biomarker for prostate cancer.
- To highlight EN2's utility in detecting significant prostate cancer.
- To assess EN2 as a simple, inexpensive, and reliable biomarker for urologists.
Main Methods:
- Detection of EN2 protein in urine via enzyme-linked immunoassay.
- Evaluation of EN2 secretion in prostate cancer versus normal and benign prostatic tissues.
- Review of existing literature on EN2 as a prostate cancer biomarker.
Main Results:
- EN2 is secreted by prostate cancer cells but not by normal prostate or benign hypertrophic cells.
- Urine-detectable EN2 shows potential as a specific indicator of prostate cancer.
- EN2 may differentiate between significant and insignificant prostate cancer.
Conclusions:
- EN2 demonstrates significant potential as a novel urine-based biomarker for prostate cancer.
- EN2 could address the unmet need for identifying significant prostate cancer.
- EN2 offers a promising, simple, and cost-effective tool for urological practice.
