TRANSFORMING GROWTH-FACTOR-BETA-1 (TGF-BE TA-1) LEVELS IN PLASMA OF PATIENTS WITH PROSTATE-CANCER AND BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA (BPH)

Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) is a pleiotrophic growt h factor in carcinogenesis and regulars multiple cell functions. We wa nted to evaluate the diagnostic meaning of TGF-beta 1 plasma levels in patients with a biopsy proven prostate cancer. The TGF-beta 1 blood l evel was analysed in 394 patients. In 242 patients (group I) the blood was taken before any prostate manipulation and biopsy. The TGF-beta 1 plasma concentrations were almost similar in the group of patients wi th a prostate cancer (n = 157) and patients with a benign prostate hyp erplasia (n = 85; 14258 pg/ml versus 14658 pg/ml, SD 10516 pg/ml). In 152 patients the blood was taken 6-12 months after radical prostatecto my (group II). There was no significant difference between the patient s with a PSA-progress and without PSA-progress after. Our results sugg est that TGF-beta 1 plasma levels can not be used to distinguish betwe en patients with prostate cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia.