title: Correlation of serum β2-microglobulin levels with prostate-specific antigen, Gleason score, clinical stage, tumor metastasis and therapy efficacy in prostate cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite previous reports implying a role of β2-microglobulin (β2M) in the development of prostate cancer (PCa), the correlation of serum β2M with the clinicopathological features, therapy efficacy and prognosis of patients with PCa have not been fully clarified. The present study aims to investigate the serum levels of β2M in patients with PCa and explore the potential use of β2M as a tumor marker for diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of PCa.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum β2M levels in 120 patients with PCa, 50 patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and 85 healthy age-matched controls were measured by enzyme immunoassay. The correlation of serum β2M with the clinicopathological features, therapy efficacy and the prognosis of PCa were subsequently assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results showed that: (i) PCa patients had significantly higher levels of β2M compared to those of patients with BPH or those of healthy controls. (ii) Serum β2M were markedly elevated in patients with high stage or grade PCa as compared to patients with low stage or grade PCa. (iii) We measured significantly higher levels of β2M in patients with metastasis as compared to patients lacking metastasis. (iv) During follow-up, serum β2M showed a marked decrease after successful therapy and a significant further increase in recurrent disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate that serum β2M is correlated closely with the clinical stage, Gleason grade, PSA, distant metastasis and therapy efficacy in patients with PCa. Serum β2M may be a useful biomarker for clinical diagnosis, follow-up and prognosis of PCa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
authors.forename: Yun-xin
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Peng-yu
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Gang-gang
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Gan-ping
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Zhi-ping
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen