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Updated: Dec 21, 2025
A Bioluminescent and Fluorescent Orthotopic Syngeneic Murine Model of Androgen-dependent and Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer
Published on: March 6, 2018
Androgen-deprivation therapies for prostate cancer and risk of infection by SARS-CoV-2: a population-based study (N =
M Montopoli1, S Zumerle2, R Vettor3
1Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy; VIMM - Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine, Fondazione per la Ricerca Biomedica Avanzata, Padova, Italy.
Background:
Cell entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) depends on binding of the viral spike (S) proteins to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and on S protein priming by TMPRSS2. Inhibition of TMPRSS2 may work to block or decrease the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Intriguingly, TMPRSS2 is an androgen-regulated gene that is up-regulated in prostate cancer where it supports tumor progression and is involved in a frequent genetic translocation with the ERG gene. First- or second-generation androgen-deprivation therapies (ADTs) decrease the levels of TMPRSS2. Here we put forward the hypothesis that ADTs may protect patients affected by prostate cancer from SARS-CoV-2 infections.
Materials And Methods:
We extracted data regarding 9280 patients (4532 males) with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from 68 hospitals in Veneto, one of the Italian regions that was most affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The parameters used for each COVID-19-positive patient were sex, hospitalization, admission to intensive care unit, death, tumor diagnosis, prostate cancer diagnosis, and ADT.
Results:
There were evaluable 9280 SARS-CoV-2-positive patients in Veneto on 1 April 2020. Overall, males developed more severe complications, were more frequently hospitalized, and had a worse clinical outcome than females. Considering only the Veneto male population (2.4 million men), 0.2% and 0.3% of non-cancer and cancer patients, respectively, tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Comparing the total number of SARS-CoV-2-positive cases, prostate cancer patients receiving ADT had a significantly lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared with patients who did not receive ADT (OR 4.05; 95% CI 1.55-10.59). A greater difference was found comparing prostate cancer patients receiving ADT with patients with any other type of cancer (OR 4.86; 95% CI 1.88-12.56).
Conclusion:
Our data suggest that cancer patients have an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infections compared with non-cancer patients. However, prostate cancer patients receiving ADT appear to be partially protected from SARS-CoV-2 infections.
Insights
Androgen-deprivation therapies (ADTs) may protect prostate cancer patients from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Patients on ADT showed a significantly lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to other cancer patients.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Oncology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) cell entry relies on viral spike (S) protein binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and S protein priming by TMPRSS2.
- TMPRSS2, an androgen-regulated gene, is upregulated in prostate cancer, potentially influencing tumor progression.
- Androgen-deprivation therapies (ADTs) are known to decrease TMPRSS2 levels.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that ADTs may offer protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection in prostate cancer patients.
- To analyze the association between ADT use and SARS-CoV-2 infection risk in a cohort of prostate cancer patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective data extraction from 68 hospitals in Veneto, Italy, involving 9280 laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 positive patients.
- Analysis of patient data including sex, hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, death, tumor diagnosis, prostate cancer diagnosis, and ADT status.
- Statistical comparison of SARS-CoV-2 infection risk between prostate cancer patients on ADT and those not on ADT, as well as with patients having other cancer types.
Main Results:
- Males exhibited more severe SARS-CoV-2 complications and worse clinical outcomes compared to females.
- Prostate cancer patients receiving ADT demonstrated a significantly lower risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR 4.05) compared to prostate cancer patients not on ADT.
- Prostate cancer patients on ADT showed a substantially lower risk of infection compared to patients with any other cancer type (OR 4.86).
Conclusions:
- Cancer patients, in general, face an elevated risk of SARS-CoV-2 infections.
- Prostate cancer patients undergoing ADT appear to possess partial protection against SARS-CoV-2 infections.
- The findings suggest a potential therapeutic role for ADTs in mitigating SARS-CoV-2 infection severity in specific patient populations.
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