Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026
13:19
Microarray-based Identification of Individual HERV Loci Expression: Application to Biomarker Discovery in Prostate Cancer
Published on: November 2, 2013
17.0K
Metabolomics of Prostate Cancer and Clinical Profiles Following Radiotherapy: Need for a Precision Phylometabolomics
Hakima Amri1, Charles Sturgeon1, David Posawatz2
1Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA.
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)
|December 30, 2025
Summary
Phylogenetic analysis of prostate cancer patient metabolomics reveals distinct subgroups post-radiotherapy, independent of clinical factors. Altered metabolites like D-tryptophan may indicate metastasis risk, aiding precision treatment strategies.
Area of Science:
- Systems Biology
- Metabolomics
- Oncology
Background:
- Prostate cancer (PCa) patient metabolomics before and after stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) can offer insights into treatment response and identify precision biomarkers.
- Understanding individual physiological responses to SBRT is crucial for personalized PCa management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To perform metabolomics-based phylogenetic profiling of PCa patients undergoing SBRT.
- To correlate metabolic profiles with clinical parameters and treatment outcomes.
- To identify potential biomarkers for PCa progression and metastasis.
Main Methods:
- Untargeted serum metabolomics data from 55 PCa patients were analyzed using a parsimony phylogenetic systems biology approach.
- Integrated mass spectrometry was employed for data acquisition.
- Metabolomic results were correlated with pre- and post-treatment clinical parameters.
Main Results:
- Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) resulted in five distinct phylogenetic subgroups based on metabolic profiles, unrelated to hormonal treatment, risk assessment, metastasis, or PSA levels.
- Significant alterations were observed in metabolic pathways including purines, porphyrins, and glycerophospholipids.
- Specific metabolites like D-tryptophan, carbamate, and Phosphatidylcholine (PC) were significantly altered in patients who developed metastasis.
Conclusions:
- Phylogenetic phylometabolomics provides a novel framework for evaluating clinical variables related to PCa progression, metastasis, and treatment response.
- Altered metabolic profiles and associated clinical phenotypes offer deeper understanding of cancer progression and metastasis.
- This approach may contribute to developing targeted therapies and improving cancer monitoring.
