title: Quantitative PSA RT-PCR for preoperative staging of prostate cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The clinical value of detecting prostate specific antigen (PSA) mRNA in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell fraction of patients (pts) by standard RT-PCR assays with localized prostate cancer remains controversial. We used a quantitative RT-PCR assay to measure the PSA mRNA copy number in addition to the qualitative PSA RT-PCR and correlated the results with clinical parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Total RNA was extracted from the peripheral blood mononuclear cell fraction of 115 prostate cancer pts prior to radical retropubic prostatectomy (RP) who received 3 months of neoadjuvant androgen deprivation. For quantitative RT-PCR, a PSA-like internal standard (IS) was added to each sample prior to reverse transcription and the PCR products for PSA and IS were selectively detected with fluorescent europium chelates after hybridization. Corresponding qualitative PSA-RT-PCR was performed for all samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median PSA copy number was 126 (range: 0-37988). There were no significant correlations established between qualitative or quantitative RT-PCR results and given clinical parameters. Corresponding quantitative and qualitative RT-PCR results were significantly associated (P = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We were unable to show any additional value of quantitative as well as qualitative PSA RT-PCR for preoperative staging of prostate cancer so far. Nevertheless, the long-term follow up of the patients has to be awaited.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Academic Hospital Offenbach, Offenbach, Germany. rkurek@gmx.de
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kurek
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ylikoski
authors.forename: Heiner
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Renneberg
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Konrad
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aumüller
authors.forename: Sandra J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Roddiger
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zamboglou
authors.forename: Ulf W
authors.initials: UW
authors.lastname: Tunn
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lilja
mesh_terms: D018628:Gene Dosage; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen