Physical Activity and Prostate Tumor Vessel Morphology: Data from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.
Vigorous activity is associated with lower risk of prostate cancer progression, but the biologic mechanisms are unknown. Exercise affects vascularization of tumors in animal models, and small, irregularly shaped vessels in prostate tumors are associated with fatal prostate cancer. We hypothesized that men who engaged in vigorous activity or brisk walking would have larger, more regularly shaped vessels in their prostate tumors. We prospectively examined whether physical activity was associated with prostate tumor microvessel morphology among 571 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study using ordinal logistic regression. Vessel size (μm(2)), vessel lumen regularity (perimeter(2)/4 · Π · area), and microvessel density (number/high-powered field) were ascertained in tumor sections stained for endothelial cell marker CD34. Vigorous activity [metabolic equivalent task (MET) ≥ 6], nonvigorous activity (MET < 6), and walking pace were assessed a median of 14 months before diagnosis. Prostate tumors from men who reported a brisk walking pace (3+ mph) had larger, more regularly shaped blood vessels compared with those of men who walked at a less than brisk pace [vessel regularity OR, 1.59; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.11-2.27; P value, 0.01; vessel size OR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.04-2.12; P value, 0.03]. Brisk walking was not associated with microvessel density; total vigorous and nonvigorous activities were not associated with vessel size, shape, or number. Brisk walking may be associated with larger, more regularly shaped vessels in prostate tumors. Additional research elucidating the effect of physical activity on prostate tumor biology is needed.
Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco.|Dept. of Urology, University of California San Francisco.
Erin L
EL
Van Blarigan
School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco.
John P
JP
Gerstenberger
Dept. of Urology, University of California San Francisco.|Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health.
Stacey A
SA
Kenfield
Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health.|Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School.|Dept. of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health.
Edward L
EL
Giovannucci
Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health.|Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School.|Dept. of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health.
Meir J
MJ
Stampfer
Dept. of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Lee W
LW
Jones
Ohio State University Medical Center and Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Steven K
SK
Clinton
Dept. of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco.|Dept. of Urology, University of California San Francisco.
June M
JM
Chan
Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health.|Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
Lorelei A
LA
Mucci
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires