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c‐ erb B‐2 oncoprotein: A potential biomarker of advanced prostate cancer
Author(s) -
Arai Yoichi,
Yoshiki Tatsuhiro,
Yoshida Osamu
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
the prostate
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.295
H-Index - 123
eISSN - 1097-0045
pISSN - 0270-4137
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0045(19970215)30:3<195::aid-pros8>3.0.co;2-l
Subject(s) - prostate cancer , medicine , prostate , biomarker , erbb , immunoradiometric assay , cancer , population , oncology , pathology , biology , radioimmunoassay , biochemistry , environmental health
BACKGROUND Overexpression of the c‐ erb B‐2 oncogene has been implicated in the development and/or prognosis of several human carcinomas, including that of the prostate. Recently, c‐ erb B‐2 protein was found to be released in the circulation. The present study was undertaken to study the significance of serum c‐ erb B‐2 protein determination in men with prostate cancer. METHODS Serum c‐ erb B‐2 protein determination was performed via immunoradiometric assay using two monoclonal antibodies that react with the extracellular domain of the protein. The study population consisted of 71 untreated prostate cancer patients. Of those, 33 with stage D2 disease entered a follow‐up study. As control, serum c‐ erb B‐2 protein levels were determined in 92 patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy. In addition, elevations of c‐ erb B‐2 protein were examined in patients with various disease statuses: clinically well controlled (28 patients), disease progression (24 patients), and end‐stage disease (17 patients). RESULTS Elevation of serum c‐ erb B‐2 protein level was observed in patients in advanced stages, such as stage D2 disease (30%), disease progression (42%), and end‐stage disease (82.4%). In the follow‐up study, patients with an elevated c‐ erb B‐2 level had a significantly shorter interval to disease progression than did those with a normal level. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that c‐ erb B‐2 can be used as a biomarker to identify a malignant subgroup in prostate cancer. Prostate 30:195–201, 1997 . © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.