title: Flow cytometric analysis of cellular DNA in human prostate cancer: relationship to 5 alpha-reductase activity of the tissue.
abstract: Flow cytometry of 20 prostate cancer specimens was carried out and the percentage DNA content in each phase of the cell cycle was correlated to the 5 alpha-reductase activity of the tumour. A group of 20 hyperplastic specimens was also entered into this study as control. Tumours were divided into 3 groups on the basis of their 5 alpha-reductase activity. This classification made it possible to identify a group of tumours of which none formed metastases (diploid tumours with 5 alpha-reductase activity greater than 20 pmol/mg protein/30 min and with less than 10% of the cells undergoing mitosis) and a second group of which 78% had metastasised at the time of presentation (diploid tumours with 5 alpha-reductase activity less than 10 pmol/mg protein/30 min and with more than 15% of the cells undergoing mitosis). DNA content within each of the 5 alpha-reductase groups appeared also to correlate with the histological grade of the cancer but no relationship was established with the stage of the disease. Our results suggest that a multi factorial discriminant combining DNA ploidy and 5 alpha-reductase measurements offers a good prognostic index for the assessment of disease progression in prostate cancer and that this might form the basis of a new approach to the treatment of this disease.
authors: University Department of Surgery, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors: F K
authors: FK
authors: Habib
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Bissas
authors: W A
authors: WA
authors: Neill
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Busuttil
authors: G D
authors: GD
authors: Chisholm
mesh_terms: D013741:3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007399:Interphase; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011003:Ploidies; D011379:Prognosis; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis* / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D004247:DNA; D013741:3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase