PROCOAGULANT PROPERTIES OF BENIGN AND MALIGNANT PROSTATIC TISSUE

Objective To determine the factor-X activating procoagulant activity ( FXAA) of prostatic tissue removed at transurethral resection in a spec ific chromogenic assay. Patients and methods FXAA was extracted from t ransurethrally resected prostatic tissue using a cryofragmentation tec hnique. Tissue from 50 patients with prostate cancer was analysed and compared with that from 36 control patients with benign prostatic-hype rtrophy. Enzyme activities were assayed in a two stage chromogenic ass ay and correlated with conventional markers of tumour aggressiveness. Results FXAA was found to be significantly lower (P<0.001) in tissue f rom malignant prostates compared with benign prostatic hypertrophy tis sue. Loss of FXAA was also related to Gleason grade (P<0.03), percenta ge of chips involved by tumour (P<0.04) and bone scan status (P<0.02). Using antibody inhibition tests this procoagulant was characterized a s being a factor VII/tissue factor complex. Conclusions Malignant chan ge in the prostate is associated with a reduction in FXAA and this may be an important factor in prostatic tumour growth and dissemination.