High progesterone receptor expression in prostate cancer is associated with clinical failure.
BACKGROUND
Prostate cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease and one of the leading causes of mortality in developed countries. Specific prognostic and predictive markers for prostate cancer patients are still lacking. A causal relationship between androgens and the development of prostate cancer is generally considered biologically plausible, but androgens are not the sole effector in the complexity of prostate carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of progesterone receptor in tumor tissue of T1-3N0 prostate cancer patients undergoing prostatectomy.


METHODS
Tissue microarrays from 535 patients with prostate cancer were constructed. Duplicate cores of tumor cells and tumor stromal tissue from each resected specimen were extracted. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the in-situ expression of progesterone receptor.


RESULTS
In univariate analyses, high tumor cell density (p = 0.006) and high tumor stromal cell density level (p = 0.045) of progesterone receptor were both significantly associated with tumor progression and clinical failure. In multivariate analysis, progesterone receptor expression in tumor cells was an independent negative prognostic factor for clinical failure (HR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.2-5.2, p = 0.012).


CONCLUSIONS
High progesterone receptor density in tumor cells of the prostate cancer tumor is an independent negative prognostic factor for clinical failure.
Dept. of Medical Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway.
Thea
T
Grindstad
Dept. of Clinical Medicine, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway; Dept. of Oncology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromso, Norway.
Sigve
S
Andersen
Dept. of Medical Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway; Dept. of Clinical Pathology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromso, Norway.
Samer
S
Al-Saad
Dept. of Clinical Medicine, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway; Dept. of Oncology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromso, Norway.
Tom
T
Donnem
Dept. of Medical Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway; Dept. of Pharmacy, UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway.
Yury
Y
Kiselev
Dept. of Medical Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway.
Christian
C
Nordahl Melbø-Jørgensen
Dept. of Medical Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway.
Kaja
K
Skjefstad
Dept. of Medical Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway; Dept. of Clinical Pathology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromso, Norway.
Lill-Tove
LT
Busund
Dept. of Medical Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway; Dept. of Clinical Medicine, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway.
Roy M
RM
Bremnes
Dept. of Medical Biology, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway; Dept. of Clinical Pathology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromso, Norway.
Elin
E
Richardsen
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D063868:Patient Outcome Assessment; D011379:Prognosis; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D017211:Treatment Failure
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone