Science Current Events | Science News | Brightsurf.com
 
Email a Friend Send to a friend
Printer Friendly Print Elevated biomarkers predict risk for prostate cancer recurrence

Elevated biomarkers predict risk for prostate cancer recurrence

June 26, 2008

PHILADELPHIA - A simple blood test screening for a panel of biomarkers can accurately predict whether a patient who has had prostate cancer surgery will have a recurrence or spread of the disease.

Calling their findings a major step forward in prostate cancer care, Texas researchers report in the June 15 issue of Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, that the presence of seven of these biomarkers can predict prostate cancer risk with 86.6 percent reliability. This is at least 15 percentage points higher than standard clinical measures currently in use, the researchers say.




"We have been looking at these biomarkers for the past 10 to 15 years in the laboratory, but now we can translate these findings into progress for the individual patient," said Shahrokh F. Shariat, M.D., chief resident in urology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Clinicians need this information to decide whether to take a "watchful waiting" approach with their prostate cancer patients or to move to more aggressive additional therapy such as hormone therapy, chemotherapy or radiation, Shariat says. Urologists currently use a risk predictor that includes variables like stage, Gleason score and serum levels of prostate-specific antigen. "However, this method is only accurate about 70 percent of the time, which is not optimal," Shariat said.

Shariat and colleagues enrolled 423 patients who were surgically treated for prostate cancer with either radical prostatectomy or bilateral lymphadenectomy.

Using commonly available blood tests, they measured levels of the following seven biomarkers: transforming growth factor-β1, interleukin-6, interleukin-6 soluble receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, endoglin, urokinase plasminogen activator.

"We reviewed background literature over 60 separate biomarkers and determined that these were the optimal seven that would have predictive value," Shariat said.

Patients were followed for approximately four years, and researchers noted cancer recurrence in 17.7 percent of patients. Elevated levels of the seven biomarkers were associated with increased risk of relapse. For example, the presence of urokinase plasminogen inhibitor-1 increased risk by 37 percent, while the presence of vascular endothelial growth factor increased risk by 47 percent.

The combination of all seven biomarker variables accurately predicted risk 86.6 percent of the time in this study.

"This is a large and unique improvement for patient care. Neither preoperative MRI nor any of the clinical features we have used before even comes close to this level of accuracy," Shariat said.

American Association for Cancer Research



Related Biomarkers Current Events and Biomarkers News Articles Biomarkers Current Events and Biomarkers News RSS Biomarkers Current Events and Biomarkers News RSS
Hormone therapy associated with reduced colorectal cancer risk
The combination of estrogen plus progestin, which women stopped taking in droves following the news that it may increase their risk of breast cancer, may decrease their risk of colorectal cancer, according to a report published in the January issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Using math to understand hep. C: Patterns paint picture of who will respond to treatment
Genetic patterns are like the tea leaves in the bottom of a cup for predicting which patients are likely to respond to medical therapy for life-threatening viruses such as hepatitis C, Saint Louis University researchers have discovered.

Biomarkers improve ischemic stroke prediction
Testing patient's blood for two proteins or biomarkers that occur when inflammation is present could help doctors identify which patients are more likely to have a stroke, said researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston in a report that appears online in the journal Stroke.

Hubble finds carbon dioxide on an extrasolar planet
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has discovered carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting another star.

Biomarkers in blood could aid diagnosis of crippling, often fatal forms of malaria
Canadian researchers have identified protein biomarkers that shed new light on the development of two severe and debilitating forms of malaria.

Men with wives, significant others more likely to be screened for prostate cancer
Although the link between early screening and prostate cancer survival is well established, men are less likely to go for early screening unless they have a wife or significant other living with them.

Stanford blood scanner detects even faint indicators of cancer
A team led by Stanford researchers has developed a prototype blood scanner that can find cancer markers in the bloodstream in early stages of the disease, potentially allowing for earlier treatment and dramatically improved chances of survival.

Brain waves show sound processing abnormalities in autistic children
Abnormalities in auditory and language processing may be evaluated in children with autism spectrum disorder by using magnetoencephalography (MEG), according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

Understanding how oxidative stress impairs endothelial progenitor cell function
Although its been over a decade since endothelial progenitor cells or EPCs, cells that circulate in the blood repairing and replacing the cells that line blood vessels, were identified, the field is still evolving.

Bipolar disorder genes, pathways identified by Indiana University neuroscientists
Neuroscientists at the Indiana University School of Medicine have created the first comprehensive map of genes likely to be involved in bipolar disorder.
More Biomarkers Current Events and Biomarkers News Articles


Biomarkers: The 10 Keys to Prolonging Vitality
by William Evans

Exciting new evidence from the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University has demonstrated that the body's decline is due not to the passing of years but to the combined effects of inactivity, poor nutrition, and illness -- much of which can be controlled. This breakthrough study shows that regardless of your age or present physical condition, the aging process can be...



Biomarkers: 10 Determinants of Aging You Can Control
by William Evans, Irwin Rosenberg



Biomarkers in Breast Cancer (Cancer Drug Discovery and Development)

Expert laboratory and clinical researchers from around the world review how to design and evaluate studies of tumor markers and examine their use in breast cancer patients. The authors cover both the major advances in sophisticated molecular methods and the state-of-the-art in conventional prognostic and predictive indicators. Among the topics discussed are the relevance of rigorous study design...



The Biomarker Guide: Volume 2, Biomarkers and Isotopes in Petroleum Systems and Earth History
by K. E. Peters, C. C. Walters, J. M. Moldowan

The second volume itemizes parameters used to genetically correlate petroleum and interpret thermal maturity and extent of biodegradation. It documents most known petroleum systems by geologic age throughout Earth...

Neuropsychiatric Biomarkers, Endophenotypes and Gene: Promises, Advances and Challenges: Volume II: Neuroanatomical and Neuroimaging Candidate Endophenotypes and Biomarkers

Neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, mood disorders, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, alcoholism, substance abuse and others are one of the most debilitating illnesses worldwide characterizing by the complexity of the causes, and lacking the laboratory tests that may promote diagnostic and prognostic procedures. Recent advances in neuroscience, genomic, genetic, proteomic and...

Trial Design for Biomarkers, An Issue of Clinics in Laboratory Medicine (The Clinics: Internal Medicine)
by Daniel Sargent



Biomarkers
by S.V.S. Rana, Sung-Eun Lee

Statistical Design and Analysis of Biomarker Studies
by Korn



Neuroscience Biomarkers and Biosignatures: Converging Technologies, Emerging Partnerships: Workshop Summary (Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders)
by National Research Council (U. S.)

Biomarkers, or biological markers, are quantitative measurements that offer researchers and clinicians valuable insight into diagnosis, treatment and prognosis for many disorders and diseases. A major goal in neuroscience medical research is establishing biomarkers for disorders of the nervous system. Given the promising potential and necessity for neuroscience biomarkers, the Institute of...

Neuropsychiatric Biomarkers, Endophenotypes, and Genes: Promises, Advances, and Challenges

Neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar and anxiety disorders, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, alcoholism, substance abuse, and others are one of the most debilitating illnesses worldwide characterizing by the complexity of the causes, and lacking the laboratory tests that may promote diagnostic and prognostic procedures. Recent advances in neuroscience,...

© 2009 BrightSurf.com