No Association of ApoE Genotype with Risk of Prostate Cancer: A Nested Case-Control Study.

Abstract

Previous studies found that low total cholesterol level was associated with a lower risk of high-grade prostate cancer. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) isoform is associated with total cholesterol level. The aim of this study was to explore associations of ApoE isoforms with prostate cancer risk. We assessed ApoE genotypes and risk of prostate cancer in a prospective case-control study nested among men who provided a blood sample in 1993-95 within the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. We identified 1,169 incident cases of prostate cancer and 1,233 controls in follow-up through 2004. Associations of ApoE isoform and prostate cancer incidence were evaluated by logistic regression models. We found no statistically significant associations of ApoE variants with overall prostate cancer or Gleason sum ≤ 7 (3+4), Gleason sum ≥ 7 (4+3), clinically localized stage, or progression to metastasis or death. There was no evidence of effect modification by circulating total cholesterol or use of cholesterol-lowering drugs prior to diagnosis. ApoE variants were not associated with the risk of prostate cancer or aggressive disease. Our findings suggest that the mechanism of circulating cholesterol level affecting prostate cancer incidence may not rely on ApoE isoforms.