Changes in biomarkers of inflammation and angiogenesis during androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer.
BACKGROUND
Angiogenesis and inflammation are both important to the pathogenesis of malignancies. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer causes drastic hormonal changes that alter both disease and host factors. We measured inflammatory and angiogenic biomarkers in ADT-treated and control groups of men with prostate cancer.


METHODS
Baseline and 12-week plasma samples were collected from 37 ADT-naïve men with locally advanced or recurrent prostate cancer. Of those, 23 initiated ADT with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist and 14 served as nontreatment controls. Samples were tested for a panel of angiogenic and inflammatory biomarkers.


RESULTS
The treatment group had significantly higher concentrations of the inflammatory biomarkers interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1α. None of the angiogenic biomarkers were significantly different between the groups at baseline. Among patients with a short prostate-specific antigen (PSA) doubling time (<6 months), the proangiogenic factor basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was lower at baseline. In the treatment group, plasma placental growth factor (PlGF) increased and IL-6 decreased after 12 weeks of ADT. Moreover, the treatment group continued to have significantly higher concentrations of the inflammatory biomarkers IL-1β, IL-8, and SDF-1α as well as bFGF than controls.


CONCLUSIONS
These men were characterized by elevations in several traditional markers of aggressive disease and also by higher levels of several inflammatory biomarkers. Although ADT decreased IL-6 levels, IL-1β, IL-8, and SDF-1α remained significantly higher than in controls. The role of these biomarkers should be further explored.
Division of Hematology-Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Philip J
PJ
Saylor
Kevin R
KR
Kozak
Matthew R
MR
Smith
Marek A
MA
Ancukiewicz
Jason A
JA
Efstathiou
Anthony L
AL
Zietman
Rakesh K
RK
Jain
Dan G
DG
Duda
D000368:Aged; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12 / Q000097:blood; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000097:blood
D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D015415:Biomarkers; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen