Elevation of serum levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator and its receptor is associated with disease progression and prognosis in patients with prostate cancer

BACKGROUND. Several investigators have revealed that urokinase-type plasmin ogen activator (uPA) and its receptor (uPAR) are overexpressed in serum as well as in tumor tissues in patients with various types of cancer. In this study, we examined whether the serum levels of uPA and uPAR could be used a s predictors of the progression and prognosis of prostate cancer. METHODS. Serum levels of uPA and uPAR in 54 healthy controls, 62 patients w ith benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), and 72 patients with prostate cance r were measured by a sandwich enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS. The mean serum levels of uPA and uPAR in patients with prostate ca ncer were significantly higher than those:in healthy controls and patients with BPH. Furthermore, the serum uPA and uPAR levels in prostate cancer pat ients with metastasis were significantly elevated compared with those in pa tients without metastasis, Among patients who underwent radical prostatecto my, the serum levels of uPA and uPAR in patients with pathologically organ- confined disease were significantly lower than in those with advanced disea se. The overall survival rate of prostate cancer patients with elevated ser um levels of either uPA or uPAR, or of both, was significantly lower than t hat of patients with normal serum levels of uPA and uPAR. CONCLUSIONS. The results of this study indicate that the elevation of serum levels of either uPA or uPAR, or of both, could be used as new predictors of progression and prognosis in patients with prostate cancer. (C) 1999 Wil ey-Liss, Inc.