Familial prostate cancer in four brothers

We identified a family of 4 brothers with prostate cancer. The proband was the second son who was seen at the Department of Urology, Gunma University, Gunma, Japan, in May 1995, with a chief complaint of dysuria. The serum level of PSA was high, and a prostate needle biopsy revealed a moderately-differentiated adenocarcinoma. Subsequently, a total prostatectomy was performed. The family history revealed that the fourth son had been under treatment at the Saitama Cancer Center Hospital for prostate cancer since 1994. Therefore, the other 2 brothers became healthy male family members of the familial prostate cancer line, and their serum PSA levels were examined after obtaining their informed consent. Both had a high serum PSA level and biopsies revealed moderately-differentiated adenocarcinomas in both. Human leukocyte antigen class II gene typing was conducted on 3 of 4 brothers and 4 healthy family members who gave informed consent, and revealed the DRB1*0901-DQB1*0303 haplotype in the first, second and third sons. Familial prostate cancer is well documented in Europe and the US where the incidence of prostate cancer is high, but this is the first report of prostate cancer in 4 brothers in Japan.