title: Correlation between Claudins Expression and Prognostic Factors in Prostate Cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the expression of claudins and prognostic factors in patients with prostate cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects of this study were 48 patients who had undergone surgery for prostate cancer. The Gleason score (6 or lower, 7 or higher), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, T stage, biochemical recurrence, local recurrence, and distant metastasis were compared according to the expression of claudin-1 and claudin-5 in prostate cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the group with a low expression of claudin-1, the Gleason score was 7 points or higher in 18 cases (82%) and 6 points or lower in 4 cases (18%). In the group with a high expression of claudin-1, the Gleason score was 7 points or higher in 13 cases (50%) and 6 points or lower in 13 cases (50%). Thus, the low-expression group had more cases with a Gleason score of 7 or higher (p=0.022). The group with a low expression of claudin-5 also had more cases with a Gleason score of 7 or higher (p=0.011). The mean PSA values in the groups with a low and high expression of claudin-1 were 9.6 ng/ml and 5.6 ng/ml, respectively (p=0.007). A low expression of claudin-5 was also associated with a high PSA value (p=0.002). There was no statistical difference in the expression of claudin-1 and claudin-5 by T stage, biochemical recurrence, local recurrence, or distant metastasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The low expression of claudin-1, claudin-5 was associated with a Gleason score of 7 or higher and a high PSA value in prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Won
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Young Kee
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Byung Hoon
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chun Il
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyuk Soo
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Mi Sun
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Choe
authors.forename: Choal Hee
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Park