CYTOKINE VARIATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH HORMONE TREATED PROSTATE CANCER

Abstract

Purpose: We evaluated the immunological response in patients with hormone sensitive and refractory prostate cancer, and untreated benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).Materials and Methods: Serum levels of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 3 groups of patients. The groups included 18 men with a mean age of 79 years who had hormone sensitive prostate cancer, mean prostate specific antigen (PSA) plus or minus standard deviation 1.03 ± 2.65 ng./ml. and a mean of 35 months of treatment, 10 with a mean age of 86 years who had hormone refractory prostate cancer, mean PSA 27.52 ± 42.23 ng./ml. and a mean of 42 months of treatment, and 19 with a mean age of 73 years who had BPH and mean PSA 3.37 ± 2.47 ng./ml. Results were compared with those in 10 age matched, disease-free controls. In the hormone sensitive group PSA regressed to normal and there was clinical evidence of a response to hormone ablation therapy, including orchiectomy, luteinizing h...