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Serum micronutrient and antioxidant levels at baseline and the natural history of men with localised prostate cancer on active surveillance

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Tumor Biology

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether serum concentrations of micronutrients, antioxidants and vitamins predict rate of disease progression in untreated, localised prostate cancer. Patients with localised prostatic adenocarcinoma on a prospective study of active surveillance underwent monitoring with serial PSA levels and repeat prostate biopsies. Disease progression was defined as either adverse histology on repeat biopsy (primary Gleason grade ≥4 or >50% positive cores of total) or radical treatment for PSA velocity >1 ng ml−1 year−1. Time to disease progression was analysed with respect to baseline levels of alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene, lycopene, retinol and selenium. One hundred four patients were evaluable, with a median follow-up of 2.5 years. Thirty-eight patients experienced disease progression, 13 biochemical and 25 histologic progression. Median time to disease progression was 2.62 years. No significant association was seen between time to disease progression and baseline serum levels of alpha-tocopherol (p = 0.86), gamma-tocopherol (p = 0.84), alpha-carotenoid (p = 0.66), beta-carotene (p = 0.65), lycopene (p = 0.0.15), retinol (p = 0.76) or selenium (p = 0.76). No significant association was seen between serum levels of the micronutrients, antioxidants or vitamins and either adverse histology on repeat biopsy or PSA velocity. Our data do not support the hypothesis that high serum concentrations of micronutrients, antioxidants and vitamins prevent disease progression in men with localised prostate cancer.

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Acknowledgements

This work was undertaken in The Royal Marsden NHS Trust which received a proportion of its funding from the NHS Executive; the views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS Executive. This work was supported by the Institute of Cancer Research, the Cancer Research UK Section of Radiotherapy (CRUK) grant no. C46/A2131 and the NCRI South of England Prostate Cancer Collaborative.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Oncology, Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust, Ipswich, Suffolk, UK

    Ramachandran Venkitaraman

  2. Computing Department, Urology Unit, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Downs Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5PT, UK

    Karen Thomas

  3. HFL Limited, Fordham, Cambridge, UK

    Phillip Grace

  4. Academic Unit of Radiotherapy & Oncology, Institute of Cancer Research, Surrey, UK

    David P. Dearnaley, Alan Horwich, Robert A. Huddart & Christopher C. Parker

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  1. Ramachandran Venkitaraman
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  2. Karen Thomas
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Correspondence to Ramachandran Venkitaraman.

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Venkitaraman, R., Thomas, K., Grace, P. et al. Serum micronutrient and antioxidant levels at baseline and the natural history of men with localised prostate cancer on active surveillance. Tumor Biol. 31, 97–102 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-009-0013-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-009-0013-0

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