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Urokinase-type plasminogen activator expression in human prostate carcinomas
P J Van Veldhuizen1, R Sadasivan, R Cherian
1Division of Oncology, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri 64128, USA.
The American Journal of the Medical Sciences
|July 1, 1996
Summary
Increased urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) expression in prostate cancer indicates a higher risk of extracapsular extension. This finding helps predict tumor aggressiveness and metastatic potential in men.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Urology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Prostate cancer exhibits variable biologic behavior, ranging from indolent to rapidly disseminated disease.
- Accurate prediction of tumor aggressiveness and invasiveness is limited by current prognostic factors.
- Understanding molecular markers is crucial for predicting prostate cancer progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the expression of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) in human prostate cancer specimens.
- To determine if uPA expression correlates with tumor aggressiveness and extracapsular extension.
- To investigate the role of uPA in the metastatic potential of prostate cancer.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 36 human prostate cancer specimens.
- Immunohistochemical method utilizing monoclonal antibody #394.
- Quantification of uPA expression in relation to capsular invasion.
Main Results:
- 70.6% of cancers with extracapsular extension showed increased uPA expression.
- Only 26.6% of cancers without capsular invasion exhibited increased uPA expression.
- Elevated uPA expression was primarily localized to glandular cytoplasm, not tumor stroma.
Conclusions:
- Increased urokinase plasminogen activator expression is associated with extracapsular extension in prostate cancer.
- uPA may serve as a prognostic marker for predicting tumor invasiveness and metastatic potential.
- These findings support the role of uPA in the biologic behavior of prostate cancer.