Aldo-keto-reductase 1C3 expression as an independent risk factor for occurrence of castration resistant prostate cancer in high risk prostate cancer treated with neoadjuvant therapy and prostatectomy.

Abstract

172 Background: Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C3 (AKR1C3) is a key steroidogenic enzyme that is implicated in the development of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). In this study, we examined AKR1C3 expression in surgical specimens of high risk prostate cancer treated with neoadjuvant LHRH + EMP, and we investigate the correlation between the expression level of AKR1C3 and the occurrence of CRPC. Methods: High-risk Pca was defined by the D’Amico stratification system. A total of 103 patients with high-risk Pca were enrolled in this study. The LHRH + EMP therapy included the administration of the LHRH agonist and 280 mg/day of EMP for six months before the radical prostatectomy. BCR was defined as the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels greater than 0.2 ng/mL after the prostatectomy. Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is defined by PSA or radiographic progression in the castrate levels of testosterone ( < 50 ng/dL). Along with the routine pathological assessment, AKR1C3 expression was evaluated in tissue microarray analysis (TMA) in all patients. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate the association between CRPC and clinical data. Results: The average patient age was 67.2 (49 to 78), and the median initial PSA level was 18.8 ng/mL (4.2–95.6). At a median follow-up period of 79.5 months, BCR occurred in 41 patients (39.8%) and CRPC occurred in nine patients (8.7%). In TMA, overexpression of AKR1C3 was seemed in 14 patients (13.6%). 5-year CRPC free survival rate of AKR1C3(+) patients (64.2%) was significantly lower than that of AKR1C3(-) patients (97.6%). (Log-rank test: p < 0.001) On multivariable analysis, AKR1C3 expression is an independent risk factor for occurrence of CRPC in this study. (p = 0.044). Conclusions: Although the present study was small and preliminary, overexpression of AKR1C3 is an independent risk factor for occurrence of CRPC in the high risk prostate cancer treated with neoadjuvant LHRH + EMP and prostatectomy. Further study is warranted to elucidate its clinical significance.