Follow-up of prostate carcinoma patients treated with total androgen blockade by repeated map-biopsy

A prospective study was carried out on ten patients with prostate cancer. T he TNM stage, Gleason's grade, general clinical status and, serum PSA level were all registered by the time of diagnosis. Total androgen blockade (TAB ) was performed. Serum PSA central and general clinical examination re-biop sy was performed on average 107 days after the start of the therapy. The pr e- and post treatment histology included HE and Tuner reaction to show apop totic cells, as well as p53, bcl(2) and Ki67 immunostaining. Clinical impro vement of the disease, manifested by regression or by steady state was obse rved in all ten patients. An increase of apoptotic index, and a decrease of mitotic index was detected in most cases. The serum PSA revel decreased in all patients. Ki67, bcl(2) and mutant p53 were strongly expressed in tumor cells of patients in whom Gleason's grade was 7 or higher and decreased ma rkedly in all cases upon therapy. Data obtained by repeated biopsy in the c ourse of TAB therapy are indicators of the effectiveness of TAB, like chang es in serum PSA, and may be considered as predictive factors. (C) 2000 Edit ions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.