Serum CCL2 and CCL7 in Prostate Cancer: Evaluation of Their Diagnostic Utility in Comparison with Benign Prostatic...

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common malignancy in men. Recent evidence indicates a correlation between modulation of the tumor microenvironment, tumor growth and metastasis. Chemokines, including C-C chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) and C-C chemokine ligand 7 (CCL7), participate in regulating inflammation, angiogenesis, and the recruitment of immunosuppressive cells. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic potential of serum CCL2 and CCL7 in patients with PCa, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and healthy controls. The study included 53 patients with PCa, divided into groups at low, intermediate, and high risk of disease progression, 55 with BPH, and 30 healthy controls. CCL2 and CCL7 concentrations were measured using a multiplex Luminex assay. Serum CCL7 concentration in PCa patients was significantly lower compared to controls. No significant differences in its concentration were found between PCa and BPH patients or between PCa subgroups at different risk levels. CCL7 demonstrated promising sensitivity (96.2%) and AUC (0.917). However, its ability to distinguish PCa from BPH was limited. CCL2 concentrations were significantly lower in the PCa group only compared to the BPH group. These results suggest that CCL7 may represent a potential adjunct marker within multimarker diagnostic strategies for prostate cancer, while CCL2 showed limited diagnostic utility.