BIOMETRIC ASSESSMENT OF PROSTATE CANCERS METASTATIC POTENTIAL

Currently, no protocol exists that can assess the metastatic potential of prostate adenocarcinoma. The reason for this is partly due to the lack of information on cellular changes that result in a tumor cell's becoming metastatic. In this investigation, attempts were made to devi se a method that correlated with the metastatic potential of AT-1, Mat -Lu, and Mat-LyLu cell lines of the Dunning R-3327 rat prostatic adeno carcinoma system. To accomplish this, we applied BioQuant biometric pa rameters, i.e., area, shape factor, and cell motility. AT-1 had a lowe r shape factor and a greater area as compared with the more highly met astatic Mat-Lu subline. No significant difference in area or shape fac tor was detected between the AT-1 cell line and the highly metastatic Mat-LyLu line. However, the lowly metastatic AT-1 line had less motili ty as compared with the Mat-Lu and Mat-LyLu lines. This study revealed that metastatic potential could be partially predicted via area and s hape factor and accurately predicted via cell motility.