Prostate cancer biomarkers: An update

MMP2 and MMP9 participate in S1P-induced invasion of follicular ML-1 thyroid cancer cells

“…However, we were not able to see any changes in the secretion of these MMPs after stimulation with S1P. To clarify whether other degrading enzymes were participating in the regulation of invasion, we tested for the expression of several other factors known to enhance migration and invasion, namely, urokinase plasminogen activator and its receptor (uPA and uPAR) (Noh et al, 2013), matriptase (Miller and List, 2013), kallikreins (Romero Otero et al, 2014) and lysyl oxidases (LOX) (Mayorca-Guiliani and Erler, 2013). In theses investigations we could not detect any effects of S1P on these proteins.…”

PSA and beyond: alternative prostate cancer biomarkers

“…Prostate tumors can be indolent or very aggressive, often metastasizing to bone and other organs, thereby causing significant morbidity and mortality [4]. A major clinical challenge in prostate cancer is the inability of current diagnostic tests, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening and histopathological grading, to distinguish between aggressive and indolent tumors [5]. PSA is present in normal prostatic secretions and its levels are often elevated in prostate cancer patients [6, 7].…”

“…This biomarker was replaced by prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the 1980s [15, 18]. PSA is a kallikrein-related serine protease produced by the epithelial cells of the prostate gland [5] that is present in normal prostatic secretions and is often elevated in prostate cancer [6, 7]. Since the 1980s, PSA screening has significantly improved prostate cancer disease management, including its survival rates.…”

“…However, more recent studies have shown that ∼20 % of men with PSA levels<4 ng/ml have prostate cancer and that many men with higher levels do not have prostate cancer [8, 23–25]. Although organ specific, PSA is not cancer specific and circulating PSA levels often rise in the presence of conditions that disrupt prostate basal membrane epithelial cells such as prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostate biopsies and surgeries [5, 8]. Owing to these shortcomings, PSA screening has led to over-diagnosis and over-treatment of low-risk prostate cancer [8, 26].…”

MR Imaging and MR Spectroscopy in Prostate Cancer

“…All these tests have relevant limitations. PSA testing has a low specificity because some conditions such as infections or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) can also induce PSA elevation (Romero Otero et al 2014). Furthermore, some studies suggest that PSA testing does not provide an accurate surrogate measure of cancer cure or treatment efficacy up to the first 4-5 years after radiation therapy (Vicini et al 2005).…”