P53 EXPRESSION, PROLIFERATION MARKER KI-S5, DNA CONTENT AND SERUM PSA- POSSIBLE BIOPOTENTIAL MARKERS IN HUMAN PROSTATIC-CANCER

Objectives. The biology of prostate cancer is poorly understood. Despi te established prognostic criteria, a confident prediction of the clin ical outcome is not always possible. Therefore, additional and more pr ecise information is highly desirable. In the present study, we compar ed potential biologic markers with the laboratory, clinical, and histo pathologic parameters of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, tumor stage, and tumor grade. Methods. Paraffin-embedded material from 62 ra dical prostatectomies for prostate carcinoma was examined immunohistoc hemically using monoclonal antibody Ki-S5 to determine the tumor growt h fraction and antibody DO-1 to assess p53 protein overexpression. Deo xyribonucleic acid-ploidy was analyzed by flow and image cytometry. Pr eoperative PSA levels were assessed by standard method. The tumors wer e categorized according to the Gleason grading system and staged posts urgery after the TNM classification. Results. The p53 expression, prol iferation rate (Ki-S5), and rate of aneuploidy correlated closely with stage (P < 0.05) and Gleason score (P < 0.01). However, divergences w ere occasionally observed. The ploidy status correlated closely with p roliferative activity and p53 expression. Conversely, no correlation w as seen between these parameters acid serum PSA content, the latter be ing significantly associated with the tumor stage alone. Conclusions. The results characterize proliferation marker Ki-S5, p53 expression, a nd ploidy status as tumor biopotential markers, whereas PSA provides d iagnostic information. Use of these investigative methods promises to provide additional information relevant in prognosis acid therapy sele ction. Nonetheless, their precise prognostic value will have to be est ablished in further studies.