Abstract
BackgroundThe identification of new prognostic markers for prostate cancer is highly warranted, since it is difficult to identify patients requiring curative treatment. Data from both experimental models and clinical samples have identified important functions of PDGFRβ on pericytes and fibroblasts in the tumor stroma.Methodology/Principal FindingsIn this study the prognostic significance of PDGFRβ in prostate cancer stroma, and in matched non-malignant tissue, was evaluated with immunohistochemistry. PDGFRβ expression was analyzed in normal and tumor stroma from more than 300 prostate cancer patients. High PDGFRβ expression in tumor stroma was associated with large tumor size, advanced stage, high Gleason score and high vessel density. Perivascular PDGFRβ staining in tumors was also correlated with high Gleason score. Correlations were also observed between PDGFRβ status in tumor stroma and non-malignant stroma. Similarly, high PDGFRβ expression in adjacent non-malignant tissue stroma correlated with large tumor size, advanced stage, high Gleason score and proliferation in non-malignant epithelium. Interestingly, high levels of PDGFRβ in the stroma of tumor and non-malignant tissue were associated with shorter cancer specific survival in prostate cancer patients.Conclusions/SignificanceThe study revealed a number of novel associations between stromal PDGFRβ expression in prostate tumors and several important clinical characteristics, including survival.
Highlights
Tumor behavior is, in general, largely governed by characteristics of the tumor stroma
In order to evaluate the significance of PDGFRb in prostate cancer, a tissue micro array (TMA) containing matched non-malignant and tumor tissue from 377 prostate cancer patients with up to 25 year of follow- up was analyzed by PDGFRb immunohistochemistry
The present analyses uncovered a set of novel associations between the tumor stroma PDGFRb status and histopathological characteristics, including positive correlations with Gleason score, tumor stage and tumor size (Table 1)
Summary
In general, largely governed by characteristics of the tumor stroma. A low frequency of stromal AR was coupled to increased Gleason score, metastasis, poor response to castration therapy and an unfavorable outcome Stromal characteristics, such as angiogenesis, accumulation of macrophages, lymphocytes and mast cells as well as changes in the extracellular matrix have been linked to variations in prostate tumor behaviour [3,4,5,6,7]. The identification of new prognostic markers for prostate cancer is highly warranted, since it is difficult to identify patients requiring curative treatment. Data from both experimental models and clinical samples have identified important functions of PDGFRb on pericytes and fibroblasts in the tumor stroma
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