Gene expression profile in the peripheral blood of patients with prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia

Background: Prostate cancer consists of multifactorial and multifocal events, generating differential gene expression in tumor cells. Methods: The molecular profile of 14 gene expression was analyzed through cDNA array in blood samples of patients with prostate cancer (PCa) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Results: Messenger RNA from patient's blood showed significant differences between PCa and BPH groups only for the NOS3 gene, with an occurrence chance for PCa 5.8-fold higher than BPH disease. Conclusion: The NOS3 gene expression in the patient's blood may be used as a putative biomarker for prostate cancer.