title: Transforming growth factor-beta1 serum concentration in patients with prostatic cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess serum levels of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), normally markedly elevated in prostate cancer tissue, in patients with cancer of the prostate, and to correlate these levels with tumour stage and serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum TFG-beta1 and PSA levels were determined in 32 patients with untreated prostate cancer. Patients were divided into: group 1, 14 patients with pT1-3pN0M0; group 2, four with T1-3pN+M0); and group 3, 14 with T1-4NxM+. Ten patients with histologically confirmed benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) served as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median TGF-beta1 levels were no different between patients with cancer or BPH (30.7 ng/mL and 26.9 ng/mL, respectively; P > 0.05). Furthermore, there was no increase in TGF-beta1 concentrations with advancing tumour stage (group 1, 34.1 ng/mL; group 2, 33.0 ng/mL; group 3, 28.3 ng/mL; P > 0.05). There was no correlation with PSA levels (group 1, r= -0.42: group 2, r= -0.43; group 3, r= -0.23; BPH, r=0.38).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TGF-beta1 levels did not discriminate between patients with BPH and prostate cancer, and there was no increase in TGF-beta1 levels with advancing tumour stage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, RWTH Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fandel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Borchers
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brehmer
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jakse
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen