ERYTHROCYTE POLYAMINES AND PROGNOSIS IN STAGE D2 PROSTATIC-CARCINOMA PATIENTS

We studied 43 patients with newly diagnosed, untreated, stage D2 prost atic carcinoma, and correlated the initial performance status, hemoglo bin, prostate specific antigen levels, tumor Gleason grade, extent of disease on the bone scan, and erythrocyte spermidine and spermine leve ls with progression. Three patients died of unrelated causes and were excluded from the study, 16 remained in remission with a mean 28 +/- 1 1 months of followup and 24 had progression (18, or 75%, of whom died of the cancer) with a mean 12 +/- 9 months of followup (p < 0.05 for f ollowup) after initiation of hormonal therapy. Pretreatment performanc e status, hemoglobin, and erythrocyte spermidine and spermine levels w ere correlated with progression, hemoglobin and spermine being the mos t significant independent variables (p = 0.006 and p = 0.001, respecti vely). Concerning cause-specific survival, only hemoglobin and spermin e erythrocyte levels were significant independent variables (p = 0.02 and p = 0.0025, respectively). If confirmed, polyamine erythrocyte lev els obtained by a simple blood sample could discriminate at diagnosis patients with a high risk of rapid hormonal relapse who may benefit fr om a more aggressive primary management.