Intensified autophagy compromises the efficacy of radiotherapy against prostate cancer.

Introduction: Radiotherapy is an equivalent alternative or complement to radical prostatectomy, with high therapeutic efficacy. High risk patients, however, experience high relapse rates, so that research on radio-sensitization is the most evident route to improve curability of this common disease.

Materials And Methods: In the current study we investigated the autophagic activity in a series of patients with localized prostate tumors treated with radical radiotherapy, using the LC3A and the LAMP2a proteins as markers of autophagosome and lysosome cellular content, respectively.

Fever-range hyperthermia vs. hypothermia effect on cancer cell viability, proliferation and HSP90 expression.

Purpose: The current study examines the effect of fever-range hyperthermia and mild hypothermia on human cancer cells focusing on cell viability, proliferation and HSP90 expression.

Materials And Methods: A549 and H1299 lung carcinoma, MCF7 breast adenocarcinoma, U87MG and T98G glioblastoma, DU145 and PC3 prostate carcinoma and MRC5 normal fetal lung fibroblasts cell lines were studied. After 3-day exposure to 34°C, 37°C and 40°C, cell viability was determined.