Metabolomic Insights into Prostate Cancer Treatment and Relapse

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Oncology
• Metabolomics

Background:

• High-risk prostate cancer treatment commonly involves combined androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and radiotherapy (RT).
• Blood biomarkers are crucial for personalizing cancer treatments.
• Lipids are emerging as potential indicators of poor prognosis in prostate cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate metabolic alterations in patients with high-risk prostate cancer during combined ADT and RT.
• To correlate observed metabolic changes with treatment outcomes and disease relapse.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 136 blood plasma samples from 35 high-risk prostate cancer patients undergoing ADT and RT.
• Metabolomic profiling using samples collected before, during, and after treatment.
• Multivariate (OPLS) and univariate statistical analyses to identify significant metabolite changes.

Main Results:

• Significant alterations in metabolite levels were observed throughout the treatment course, predominantly during ADT.
• Steroids and fatty acids showed the most common changes.
• Metabolomic profiles differed significantly between patients who relapsed and those who did not, with cholesterol and epiandrosterone identified as significant metabolites.

Conclusions:

• Metabolomics can identify potential biomarkers for predicting prostate cancer treatment response and relapse.
• Further research is needed to pinpoint specific metabolite patterns for personalized treatment strategies.