title: Plasma levels of trefoil factors are increased in patients with advanced prostate cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Through cDNA array analyses and immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays, trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) was recently shown to be overexpressed in prostate cancer. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of using the levels of trefoil factors as a plasma marker for prostate cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 79 patients with prostate cancer, 23 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, and 44 healthy individuals plasma TFF1, TFF2, and TFF3 were determined with ELISAs and compared with clinical stage and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values. Plasma levels of TFF were compared with the immunohistochemical expression of TFF and chromogranin A in 30 prostate cancer tissue samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with advanced prostate cancer had significantly higher plasma concentrations of TFF1, TFF2, and TFF3 (P < 0.01) compared with patients with localized disease. Using a cutoff of 200 pmol/L, the sensitivity and specificity of plasma TFF3 in differentiating between patients with localized and advanced disease was 74% (59-85%) and 81% (66-91%). Plasma levels of TFF3 were highest in patients with bone metastases (P = 0.008). Patients with serum PSA >10 microg/L had significantly higher plasma TFF3 values than patients with serum PSA <10 microg/L (P = 0.03) and TFF3 levels were higher in patients with Gleason sums of > or = 7 (P = 0.02). Expression of TFF1 and TFF3 determined by immunohistochemistry was increased in patients with prostate cancer but did not correlate with plasma trefoil factor values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma levels of trefoil factors are increased in patients with advanced prostate cancer. Prospective studies are needed to confirm the predictive utility of trefoil factors in prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. else.marie.vestergaard@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Else Marie
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Vestergaard
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borre
authors.forename: Steen Seier
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Poulsen
authors.forename: Ebba
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nexø
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tørring
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D000071163:Trefoil Factor-1; D000071164:Trefoil Factor-2; D000071165:Trefoil Factor-3; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; C051838:TFF1 protein, human; C000604007:TFF2 protein, human; C082495:TFF3 protein, human; D000071163:Trefoil Factor-1; D000071164:Trefoil Factor-2; D000071165:Trefoil Factor-3; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen