Stromal PDGFRbeta expression in prostate tumors and non-malignant prostate tissue predicts prostate cancer survival.
BACKGROUND
The identification of new prognostic markers for prostate cancer is highly warranted, since it is difficult to identify patients requiring curative treatment. Data from both experimental models and clinical samples have identified important functions of PDGFRbeta on pericytes and fibroblasts in the tumor stroma.


RESULTS
In this study the prognostic significance of PDGFRbeta in prostate cancer stroma, and in matched non-malignant tissue, was evaluated with immunohistochemistry. PDGFRbeta expression was analyzed in normal and tumor stroma from more than 300 prostate cancer patients. High PDGFRbeta expression in tumor stroma was associated with large tumor size, advanced stage, high Gleason score and high vessel density. Perivascular PDGFRbeta staining in tumors was also correlated with high Gleason score. Correlations were also observed between PDGFRbeta status in tumor stroma and non-malignant stroma. Similarly, high PDGFRbeta expression in adjacent non-malignant tissue stroma correlated with large tumor size, advanced stage, high Gleason score and proliferation in non-malignant epithelium. Interestingly, high levels of PDGFRbeta in the stroma of tumor and non-malignant tissue were associated with shorter cancer specific survival in prostate cancer patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The study revealed a number of novel associations between stromal PDGFRbeta expression in prostate tumors and several important clinical characteristics, including survival.
Hägglöf
Christina
C
Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Hammarsten
Peter
P
Josefsson
Andreas
A
Stattin
Pär
P
Paulsson
Janna
J
Bergh
Anders
A
Ostman
Arne
A
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011467:Prostate / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D020797:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis
D000199:Actins; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D020797:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta