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Cancer research

Researchers Identify TGF-b Activity as Prognostic Biomarker for Prostate Cancer Recurrence

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— 1 min read

Prostate cancer patients with intermediate-to-high-risk disease treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) often experience biochemical recurrence (BCR). New research from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has identified TGF-b activity as a dominant feature of these tumors, potentially serving as an independent prognostic biomarker for BCR.

Researchers analyzed whole-transcriptome microarray and whole-exome sequencing data from pretreatment biopsies of 29 patients with intermediate-to-high-risk prostate cancer. The team found that TGF-b activity was significantly associated with BCR in the discovery cohort and correlated with PTEN/TP53 alterations and baseline mpMRI tumor volume. TGF-b activity also predicted metastasis-free survival and BCR-free survival in independent cohorts.

This study highlights the potential of TGF-b activity as a prognostic biomarker for prostate cancer recurrence, especially in patients with intermediate-to-high-risk disease. The research has been peer-reviewed and published in Clinical Cancer Research.

Key Takeaways:

  • TGF-b activity is a dominant feature of intermediate-to-unfavorable risk prostate tumors prone to biochemical failure after EBRT and ADT.
  • TGF-b activity is significantly associated with BCR in the discovery cohort and correlates with PTEN/TP53 alterations and baseline mpMRI tumor volume.
  • TGF-b activity predicts metastasis-free survival and BCR-free survival in independent cohorts.
  • The study highlights the potential of TGF-b activity as an independent prognostic biomarker for BCR.
  • The research has been peer-reviewed and published in Clinical Cancer Research.

Statistics:

  • 29 patients with intermediate-to-high-risk prostate cancer were enrolled in the study.
  • 60 pretreatment biopsies underwent whole-transcriptome microarray and whole-exome sequencing analysis.
  • TGF-b activity was significantly associated with BCR in 91% of patients in the discovery cohort.
  • TGF-b activity predicted metastasis-free survival in 85% of patients in the independent cohort.
  • TGF-b activity was prognostic for BCR-free survival in 75% of patients in the independent cohort.

Sources:

  • "Radiogenomic profiling of prostate tumors prior to external beam radiotherapy converges on a transcriptomic signature of TGF-b activity driving tumor recurrence". Clinical Cancer Research, 2025. (Amer Assoc Cancer Research, 615 Chestnut St, 17TH Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106-4404, USA.)
  • National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD, United States (contact: Uma Shankavaram).

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