Inverse relation between prostate-specific antigen and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 in bone metastases and serum of patients with prostate cancer

• Published in: The Lancet (British edition) Vol. 354; no. 9195; pp. 2053 - 2054
• Main Authors: Smith, Gillian L, Doherty, Alan P, Mitchell, High, Hanham, Iain W, Christmas, Timothy J, Epstein, Richard J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Ltd 11-12-1999; Lancet; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers, Tumor - blood; Bone and Bones - pathology; Bone Neoplasms - blood; Bone Neoplasms - diagnosis; Bone Neoplasms - secondary; Bones; Breast Neoplasms - blood; Breast Neoplasms - diagnosis; Female; Genital system. Mammary gland; Humans; Insulin; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 - blood; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Male; Medical sciences; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Patients; Predictive Value of Tests; Prostate cancer; Prostate-Specific Antigen - blood; Prostatic Neoplasms - blood; Prostatic Neoplasms - diagnosis; Proteins; Tissues; Human; Urinary system disease; Carcinoma; Prostate disease; Serology; Marker; Metastasis; Malignant tumor; Prostate specific antigen; Insulin like growth factor binding protein; Mammary gland diseases; Relation; Clinical biology; Female; Inverse; Mammary gland; Bone; Male genital diseases; Prostate; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0140-6736; 1474-547X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(99)04805-9

The usual osteoblastic phenotype of metastatic prostate cancer is unexplained. Here we show that tissue and serum concentrations of prostate-specific antigen (PSA)—vary inversely with a substrate protein that binds a growth factor known to activate osteoblasts. These findings suggest that PSA may contribute to the osteoblastic phenotype, and could thus represent a new drug target devoid of antiandrogenic toxicity.