Heterogeneity in prostate cancer: prostate specific antigen (PSA) and DNA cytophotometry.

Background: The heterogeneity in prostate cancer is the reason for the difficult diagnosis and prognosis of this tumor. In this study, we looked for a correlation between prostate specific antigen (PSA), tumor staging and DNA cytophotometry.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-two prostates (pT1-T4) from patients with prostate cancer, who underwent radical prostatectomy, were examined. Preoperative PSA and postoperative DNA image cytometry, after 2-8 needle biopsies out of each organ, were evaluated.

Results: The prostate cancer tissues showed, in DNA stemline-interpretation according to Fu, in homogenous diploid tumors an average PSA level of 3.8 ng/ml, and, in homogenous aneuploid tumors, a level of 14.0 ng/ml. Tumors with heterogeneous DNA patterns with a majority of aneuploidy had an average PSA level of 85.6 ng/ml, and heterogeneous tissues with a majority of diploidy a level of 10.9 ng/ml.

Conclusion: Only the stemline-interpretation of Fu after DNA cytophotometry is efficient for diagnosis of prostate cancer, and allows prognostic statements of the disease.