The impact of obesity on the predictive accuracy of PSA in men undergoing prostate biopsy

Purpose

Obese men have been reported to have lower serum PSA values relative to normal-weight men in population-based studies, screening cohorts, and in men with prostate cancer (CaP) treated with surgery. There are concerns that PSA may be less accurate in detecting prostate cancer in men with increased body mass index (BMI). We determine whether the diagnostic potential of PSA is negatively influenced by obesity by comparing its operating characteristics across BMI categories among men undergoing prostate biopsy.

Methods

Demographic, clinical, and histopathological data on 917 men who underwent trans-rectal ultrasound-guided prostate needle biopsy from 2002 to 2010 at a University hospital in Italy were used in the study. Men were categorized for BMI as follows: <25 kg/m² (normal weight), 25–29.9 kg/m² (overweight), and ≥30 kg/m² (obese). Receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curves were used to assess PSA accuracy for predicting prostate cancer overall and then stratified according to digital rectal examination (DRE) findings using the area under the ROC curve (AUC).

Results

The obesity rate of the study cohort was 21 %. There was no statistically significant difference in the overall AUCs of PSA for predicting CaP among normal-weight (AUC = 0.56), overweight (AUC = 0.60), and obese men (AUC = 0.60; p = 0.68) in either DRE-positive or negative men.

Conclusions

In a cohort of Italian men undergoing prostate biopsy, the performance accuracy of PSA as a predictor of CaP is not significantly altered by BMI. Obesity does not negatively impact the overall ability of PSA to discriminate between CaP and benign conditions.     

Results of a comparative study analyzing octogenarians with renal cell carcinoma in a competing risk analysis with patients in the seventh decade of life

ObjectivesTo analyze clinicopathological features and survival of surgically treated patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC)≥80 years of age in comparison with patients between the ages of 60 and 70 years.Materials and methodsThe data for 2,516 patients with a median follow-up of 57 months were retrieved from a multinational database (Collaborative Research on Renal Neoplasms Association [CORONA]), including data for 6,234 consecutive patients with RCC after radical or partial nephrectomy. Comparative analysis of clinicopathological features of 241 octogenarians (3.9% of the database) and 2,275 reference patients between the ages of 60 and 70 years (36.5%) was performed. Multivariable regression analysis adjusted for competing risks was applied to identify the effect of advanced age on cancer-specific mortality (CSM) and other-cause mortality (OCM). Furthermore, instrumental variable analysis was employed to reduce residual confounding by unmeasured parameters.ResultsSignificantly more women were present (50% vs. 40%, P = 0.004), and significantly less often nephron-sparing surgery was performed in octogenarians compared with the reference group (11% vs. 20%, P<0.001). Although median tumor size and stages did not significantly defer, older patients less often had advanced or metastatic disease (N+/M1) (4.6% vs. 9.6%, P = 0.009). On multivariable analysis, higher CSM (hazard ratio = 1.48, P = 0.042) and OCM rates (hazard ratio = 4.32, P<0.001) were detectable in octogenarians (c-indices = 0.85 and 0.72, respectively). Integration of the variable age group in multivariable models significantly increased the predictive accuracy regarding OCM (6%, P<0.001), but not for CSM. Limitations are based on the retrospective study design.ConclusionsOctogenarian patients with RCC significantly differ in clinical features and display significantly higher CSM and OCM rates in comparison with their younger counterparts.     

Patients with metabolic syndrome and widespread high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia are at a higher risk factor of prostate cancer on re-biopsy: A prospective single cohort study

ObjectivesTo test the hypothesis that patients with widespread high grade prostatic intra epithelial neoplasia (wHGPIN) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are at a higher risk of prostate cancer (PCa) at a repeat biopsy.Methods and MaterialsWe prospectively evaluated 161 patients submitted from December 2004 to December 2011 to prostate rebiopsy after a initial diagnosis of HGPIN in a tertiary academic center. A 12 core biopsy template was used for all the biopsies. Rebiopsy was performed six months after the initial biopsy independently from PSA level and the DRE finding. wHGPIN was defined as≥4 biopsy cores involved. MetS was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program’s Adult Treatment Panel III criteria.ResultsOverall, 64 patients (39.7%) presented wHGPIN and 97 isolated HGPIN (60.3%). MetS was found in 63 patients, 39.1% of the whole population. Out of them 16 (25.3%) and 47 (74.7%) patients had a diagnosis of isolated and wHGPIN (P = 0.001). PCa detection rate at repeat biopsy was significantly higher in patients with MetS and wHGPIN than in those with wHGPIN and no MetS (57.4% Vs 23.5%; P = 0.016). A logistic regression model confirmed that wHGPIN and MetS are independent risk factors of prostate cancer diagnosis (respectively: Odds ratio (OR) = 4.187, 95%CI: 1.65–10.57 p = 0.002 and OR=3.603, 95%CI: 1.41-9.19, p = 0.007).ConclusionPatients with MetS and wHGPIN are at a higher risk of PCa, therefore performing a new prostate biopsy in those patients should be recommended.     

Serum levels of 17-β-estradiol are not predictive of prostate cancer diagnosis and aggressiveness: Results from an Italian biopsy cohort

ObjectivesTo explore the association between serum levels of 17-β-estradiol (17BE) and prostate cancer (PCa) risk in men undergoing prostate biopsy.Methods and materialsBetween 2006 and 2012, we prospectively enrolled 894 patients, with no history of PCa, undergoing prostate biopsy. Before biopsy was performed, general data, digital rectal examination (DRE), body mass index, 17BE, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) were recorded. The risk of detecting cancer and high-grade cancer was assessed as a function of 17BE using crude and adjusted logistic regressions.ResultsSerum levels of 17BE were not associated with an increased risk of PCa or high-grade disease. Age (odds ratio [OR] 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03–1.07; P = 0.000), DRE(OR 2.81; 95% CI: 1.98–4.00; P = 0.000), and PSA(OR 1.07; 95% CI: 1.04–1.10; P = 0.000) were found to be independent predictors of PCa risk. Age (OR 1.05; 95% CI: 1.01–1.09; P = 0.007), DRE (OR 3.04; 95% CI: 1.79–5.17; P = 0.000), body mass index (OR 1.07; 95% CI: 1.01–1.150; P = 0.040), and PSA (OR 1.08; 95% CI: 1.03–1.12; P = 0.000) were found to be independent predictors of high-grade disease.ConclusionIn our cohort of patients, serum levels of 17BE are not predictive of PCa or high-grade disease. In patients at risk of PCa, 17BE should not be considered a reliable marker to predict poorly differentiated PCa in the setting of initial prostate biopsy.     

Implication of breast cancer phenotype for patients with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis

BackgroundWe aimed to study the implications of breast cancer (BC) subtypes for the development and prognosis of leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LC).Patients and methodsData from the breast cancer patients diagnosed with LC between 2005 and 2010 were retrieved. Patients were classified in luminal A, B, HER2 positive and triple negative (TN) and their BC diagnosis, treatment, and outcome were analyzed according to each subtype. Pearson's chi-square and Fisher's exact test were used for categorical variables. Survival analyses were performed by Kaplan–Meier method and compared with the log-rank test.ResultsA total of 38 BC patients were identified, with a median age of 54.8 years (range 36–79). The proportion of luminal A, B, HER2 positive and TN was 18.4%, 31.6%, 26.3% and 23.7%, respectively. LC was the first evidence of metastatic disease in 5 BC patients. Twenty patients received the systemic chemotherapy, with 16 (80%) whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT). Nine patients received only WBRT. TN patients had the shorter interval between metastatic breast cancer diagnosis and the development of LC. Median survival after the diagnosis of LC (OSLC) was 2.6 months (range 1.2–6.4), and did not differ across breast cancer subtypes. In univariate analysis, performance status (ECOG = 0–2) and chemotherapy were prognostic for OSLC, but only the treatment stood as an independent prognostic factor in multivariate analysis.ConclusionsBreast cancer subtype influences the timing of LC appearance, but not OSLC. Patients with LC from breast cancer should be offered systemic treatment, as it appears to associate with the improved outcome. New therapeutic strategy, including, targeted and intrathecal therapy are deserved for BC patients with LC.     

Plasma erythropoietin levels in anaemic and non-anaemic patients with chronic liver diseases

AIM: To investigate the serum erythropoietin (Epo) levels in patients with chronic liver diseases and to compare to subjects with iron-deficiency anaemia and healthy controls. METHODS: We examined 31 anaemic (ALC) and 22 non-anaemic (NALC) cirrhotic patients, 21 non- anaemic subjects with chronic active hepatitis (CAH), 24 patients with iron-deficiency anaemia (ID) and 15 healthy controls. Circulating Epo levels (ELISA; R and D Systems, Europe Ltd, Abingdon, UK) and haemoglobin (Hb) concentration were determined in all subjects. RESULTS: Mean+/-SD of Epo values was 26.9+/-10.8 mU/mL in ALC patients, 12.5+/-8.0 mU/mL in NALC subjects, 11.6+/-6.3 mU/mL in CAH patients, 56.4+/-12.7 mU/mL in the cases of ID and 9.3+/-2.6 mU/mL in controls. No significant difference (P>0.05) was found in Epo levels between controls, CAH and NALC patients. ALC individuals had higher Epo levels (P<0.01) than these groups whereas ID subjects had even higher levels (P<0.001) than patients suffering from ALC. CONCLUSION: Increased Epo values in cirrhotics, are only detectable when haemoglobin was lesser than 12 g/dL. Nevertheless, this rise in value is lower than that observed in anaemic patients with iron-deficiency and appears blunted and inadequate in comparison to the degree of anaemia.     

Terlipressin and Albumin in Patients with Cirrhosis and Type I Hepatorenal Syndrome

Purpose: Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a pre-renal-like dysfunction that generally onsets in cirrhotic patients presenting ascites. We investigated the improvement of renal function in subjects with hepatorenal syndrome after terlipressin administration and the survival times after this treatment. Fifty-two patients affected by cirrhosis, with diagnosis of hepatorenal syndrome were treated with intravenous terlipressin plus albumin (group A) or with albumin alone (group B). Liver and renal function, plasma renin activity, and aldosterone plasma levels were monitored. Results: Patients from group A showed a significant improvement (p < 0.001) of renal function valued by creatinine rate compared with the results obtained in group B. The probability of survival was higher in the group A (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Our results seem to confirm that the administration of terlipressin plus albumin improves renal function in patients with cirrhosis and type I HRS and that a reversal of hepatorenal syndrome is strongly associated with improved survival.