Exploration of the Value of Combined UA, IL-6, and fPSA/tPSA in the Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer.

Objective: To investigate the differences in uric acid (UA), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and free prostatic-specific antigen (fPSA)/total prostatic-specific antigen (tPSA) (F/T) between patients with and without prostate cancer (PCa) in order to discover the value of the three indicators in improving PCa diagnostic accuracy. Methods: Patients with pathologically diagnosed PCa (PCa group, n = 25), patients with other benign prostate diseases (benign group, n = 25), and men who underwent normal physical examination (control group, n = 25) at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine between October 2020 and January 2021 were included. The serum UA, IL-6, and F/T levels of participants in the three groups were measured, and the measured data were statistically analyzed. Results: There were statistically significant differences in IL-6 and F/T among the three groups (all P < 0.05), but there were no statistically significant differences in UA (P > 0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for the three indicators was, respectively, as follows: PCa group-benign group 0.5416, 0.6776, and 0.6832; PCa group-control group 0.5432, 0.9536, and 0.9887; and benign group-control group 0.5000, 0.8784, and 0.9456. Logistic regression analysis indicated that IL-6 and F/T were independent predictors of PCa, with AUCs of 0.6776 and 0.6832, respectively, and a combined accuracy of 72.0%. Conclusion: These results suggest that IL-6 and F/T have a good detection effect for PCa screening. Compared with the detection of F/T alone, the combined detection of IL-6 and F/T can improve the diagnosis rate of PCa to a certain extent, providing effective guidance for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of patients. The value of UA needs to be further studied, and its feasibility in the diagnosis of PCa needs to be further explored.

Serum paraoxonase 1 and 3 activities in benign and malignant diseases of the prostate and changes in levels following robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy

Background/aim: This study aimed to examine serum paraoxonase 1 and 3 (PON1 and PON3) activities in benign and malignant diseases of the prostate, to determine lipid profile and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and to investigate changes in levels following robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALRP). Materials and methods: A total of 137 patients, including a control group, were enrolled in the study and assigned into four groups. Group 1 (n = 33) consisted of patients previously undergoing RALRP with no recurrence, group 2 (n = 36) consisted of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer (PCa) and undergoing RALRP, and group 3 (n = 34) consisted of patients diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia. The control group (n = 34) consisted of healthy individuals. Serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglyceride, cholesterol, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), PON1, PON3, and MDA values were measured. In addition, group 2 MDA, PON1, PON3, and PON1/HDL levels were investigated preoperatively and at the first month postoperatively. Results: Significant changes were found in PON1, PON3, and MDA levels. PON1 and PON3 levels decreased significantly in patients with PCa, while MDA levels increased. PON1 and PON3 increased postoperatively in the PCa group, while MDA decreased. BPH group PON1, PON3, and MDA levels were higher than those of the control group. Conclusion: An increase in free oxygen radicals in the body or a decrease in endogenous antioxidant enzyme levels can result in malignant and benign diseases of the prostate. Surgical excision of malignant tissue in PCa causes a decrease in oxidative stress.

Transrectal Ultrasound Guided Prostatic Biopsy and its Complications: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Transrectal ultrasound of prostate provides better visual for biopsy. Transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy is usually performed in men with an abnormal digital rectal examination, and elevated prostate specific antigen (>4ng/ml) or prostate specific antigen velocity (rate of prostate specific antigen change) i.e., >0.4-0.75ng/ml/year. The aim of the study is to find out the complications of transrectal ultrasound guided prostatic biopsies. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was done among 50 patients who transrectal ultrasound guided prostatic biopsies in a tertiary care hospital, from July 2017 to July 2019 after receiving ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee of Kathmandu Medical College and teaching hospital. Convenient sampling was done. All patients were informed about the potential benefits and risks of the transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy and patients signed an informed written consent form. Statistical analysis was done by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 16. RESULTS: Mean prostate specific antigen was 34.571 and mean weight of prostate was 44.6gm. Moderate to severe pain was experienced by 15 (30%), 2 (4%) had hematuria with fever accounting for 3 (6%) patients. All were managed conservatively with no mortality related to the procedure and complication. Three patients was positive for malignancy on re-biopsy. CONCLUSIONS: Transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy of prostate is a pioneer experience in Nepal. It has proved to be an useful tool of diagnosis of suspected carcinoma of Prostate. Use of neurovascular block may reduce the pain during the procedure.

Eight Days of Water-Only Fasting Promotes Favorable Changes in the Functioning of the Urogenital System of Middle-Aged Healthy Men.

The aim of this study was to determine whether, after 8 days of water-only fasting, there are changes in the efficiency of the lower urinary tract, the concentration of sex hormones, and the symptoms of prostate diseases in a group of middle-aged men (n = 14). For this purpose, before and after 8 days of water-only fasting (subjects drank ad libitum moderately mineralized water), and the following somatic and blood concentration measurements were made: total prostate specific antigen (PSA-T), free prostate specific antigen (PSA-F), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteotropic hormone (LH), prolactin (Pr), total testosterone (T-T), free testosterone (T-F), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), sex hormone globulin binding (SHGB), total cholesterol (Ch-T), ß-hydroxybutyrate (ß-HB). In addition, prostate volume (PV), volume of each testis (TV), total volume of both testes (TTV), maximal urinary flow rate (Qmax), and International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) values were determined. The results showed that after 8 days of water-only fasting, Qmax and IPSS improved but PV and TTV decreased significantly. There was also a decrease in blood levels of PSA-T, FSH, P, T-T, T-F, and DHEA, but SHGB concentration increased significantly. These results indicate that 8 days of water-only fasting improved lower urinary tract functions without negative health effects.

Selenium Supplementation and Prostate Health in a New Zealand Cohort.

BACKGROUND: There is variable reporting on the benefits of a 200 µg/d selenium supplementation towards reducing prostate cancer impacts. The current analysis is to understand whether stratified groups receive supplementation benefits on prostate health. METHODS: 572 men were supplemented with 200 µg/d selenium as selinized yeast for six months, and 481 completed the protocol. Selenium and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were measured in serum at pre- and post-supplementation. Changes in selenium and PSA levels subsequent to supplementation were assessed with and without demographic, lifestyle, genetic and dietary stratifications. RESULTS: The post-supplementation selenium (p = 0.002) and the gain in selenium (p < 0.0001) by supplementation were significantly dependent on the baseline selenium level. Overall, there was no significant correlation between changes in PSA and changes in selenium levels by supplementation. However, stratified analyses showed a significant inverse correlation between changes in PSA and changes in selenium in men below the median age (p = 0.048), never-smokers (p = 0.031), men carrying the GPX1 rs1050450 T allele (CT, p = 0.022 and TT, p = 0.011), dietary intakes above the recommended daily intake (RDI) for zinc (p < 0.05), and below the RDI for vitamin B12 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The current analysis shows the influence of life factors on prostate health benefits of supplemental selenium.

The combination of AroCell TK 210 ELISA with Prostate Health Index or prostate-specific antigen density can improve the ability to differentiate prostate cancer from noncancerous conditions.

BACKGROUND: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is an established tumour marker for prostate cancer (PCa). Serum thymidine kinase 1 is a possible new marker for the detection of PCa. The aim of the study was to investigate the diagnostic value of the AroCell TK 210 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) together with free PSA, [-2]proPSA, and Prostate Health Index (PHI) in differentiating PCa from benign urological conditions. METHODS: Serum samples from 140 patients with PSA values in the range between 2 and 10 µg/L were collected at the Ljubljana University Medical Centre and the Maribor University Medical Centre. Thymidine kinase (TK1) protein levels were determined using the AroCell TK 210 ELISA and PSA-related parameters analysed with commercial assays. RESULTS: Serum TK1 protein, total and free PSA, proPSA, PSA density (PSAD), and PHI levels in patients with confirmed PCa were significantly higher than in patients with benign urological conditions (P < 0.05). Overall, the AroCell TK 210 ELISA results showed a significant correlation with PHI ( r = 0.25, P = 0.0031). Receiver-operating characteristic curve analyses were used to compare the area under the curve (AUC) of TK 210 ELISA, PHI, and PSA density. For PHI, the AUC was 0.73, comparable to those of TK 210 ELISA (0.67) and PSAD (0.66), with no significant differences in pairwise comparisons (PHI vs TK 210 ELISA P = 0.32, PHI vs PSAD P = 0.24, and TK 210 ELISA vs PSAD P = 0.95). The AUC for the combination of TK1 plus PSAD was significantly higher than those for the individual PSA-related biomarkers and marginally PHI, while the AUC for the combination of TK1 plus PHI was significantly higher than those for the individual PSA-related biomarkers except for PHI and marginally for PSAD. Total PSA concentration was the only marker, that was significantly higher in patients with an increasing Gleason grade. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that TK1 protein determinations together with PHI or PSAD could be a valuable additional tool in PCa management.

Is There A Relation Between Serum Uric Acid Values and Prostatic Calculi Presence?

OBJECTIVE: We planned to examine the connection between serum uric acid (UA) values and prostatic calculi (PCal) presence and to evaluate the relation between PCal and other etiological factors. METHODS: Patients between 20 and 60 years of age who were referred to the clinic with any reason and had non-contrast abdominal tomography (NCACT) for PCal were included in the study. While the patients were separated into 2 groups based on their serum UA level as ≥7 mg/dL (Group 1) and < 7 mg/dL (Group 2), NCACT was also divided into 2 groups as PCal presence (PCal+) and lack (PCal-) serum UA, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, prostate-specific antigen levels and urinary analysis results of the patients were evaluated and compared. RESULTS: PCal were detected in 38 of 169 patients (22%). PCal presence was detected to be significantly high in Group 1 (p = 0.015). While Type A localization PCal were present both in Groups 1 and 2. Based on PCal presence, UA level was detected to be significantly high in PCal+ patients (p = 0.01). No significant difference was detected among the groups in biochemical parameters and urine-related parameters other than UA. CONCLUSION: A significant relation was found between high UA value and PCal in this study. These results may show that UA plays an active role in PCal etiology.

Advances in Prostatic Diagnostics in Dogs: The Role of Canine Prostatic Specific Esterase in the Early Diagnosis of Prostatic Disorders.

In last years, following the increased canine life expectancy and the rising attention pet-owners devote to their animals, several authors have carried on investigations concerning new techniques to early identify canine prostatic disorders that might affect the dog's quality of life. Prostatic disorders often have an asymptomatic onset and their early diagnosis is difficult: hence, they are usually identified at an advanced stage, only. Traditionally, the diagnosis of prostatic disorders is based on noninvasive tools, such as transrectal and abdominal palpation, seminal or prostatic fluid evaluation, and urinalysis and imaging. On the other hand, a definite diagnosis of prostatic abnormalities could be achieved through prostatic parenchyma Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) or biopsy. However, these investigations are performed rarely because of their invasiveness. Thus, several authors investigated canine serum biomarkers in order to achieve an earlier diagnostic timing and to apply therapeutic strategies for better outcomes. The Canine Prostatic Specific Esterase (CPSE) has been identified as a suitable biomarker to be included in a prostate health screening program, following the model of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in human medicine. A higher CPSE in dogs suffering from several prostatic diseases, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia, bacterial prostatitis, or prostatic carcinoma, was reported in literature. Thanks to the potential usefulness in clinical practice, further studies should investigate the potential role of CPSE in monitoring the medical treatment success in the male reproductive system. Moreover, the spreading availability of serum biomarkers, easily carried out on blood samples in clinical practice, could assure a more accurate evaluation of the actual prevalence of prostatic disorders. The CPSE is actually recognized as a promising diagnostic tool for the detection of prostatic disorders in a "prostate health screening program," in order to properly select those patients requiring further more accurate and expensive diagnostic investigations.

[Clinical value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in the diagnosis of prostate cancer in patients with different PSA concentrations].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in the diagnosis of prostate cancer in patients with different concentrations of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). METHODS: Based on the PSA concentration, 186 patients were divided into three groups (PSA 4－10 µg/L, 11－20 µg/L, and >20 µg/L) and underwent transrectal CEUS and biopsy. We compared the pathological results with the CEUS features in different groups of patients and performed a statistical analysis on the characteristics of the CEUS manifestations of prostate cancer and benign prostatic lesions. RESULTS: Of the 186 patients, 118 (63.4%) were diagnosed by biopsy with prostate cancer and the other 68 (36.6%) with benign prostatic lesions. The positive rate of CEUS in the diagnosis of prostate cancer was above 95% in all the three groups, significantly higher than that of conventional ultrasound in the PSA 4－10 and >10－20 µg/L groups (P <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography can achieve a high detection rate in the diagnosis of prostate cancer, especially for the patients with a low PSA concentration, and therefore can be used as one of the most valuable diagnostic techniques for this purpose.

Association between age-related reductions in testosterone and risk of prostate cancer-An analysis of patients' data with prostatic diseases.

The relationship between serum total testosterone and prostate cancer (PCa) risk is controversial. The hypothesis that faster age-related reduction in testosterone is linked with increased PCa risk remains untested. We conducted our study at a tertiary-level hospital in southeast of the USA, and derived data from the Medical Registry Database of individuals that were diagnosed of any prostate-related disease from 2001 to 2015. Cases were those diagnosed of PCa and had one or more measurements of testosterone prior to PCa diagnosis. Controls were those without PCa and had one or more testosterone measurements. Multivariable logistic regression models for PCa risk of absolute levels (one-time measure and 5-year average) and annual change in testosterone were respectively constructed. Among a total of 1,559 patients, 217 were PCa cases, and neither one-time measure nor 5-year average of testosterone was found to be significantly associated with PCa risk. Among the 379 patients with two or more testosterone measurements, 27 were PCa cases. For every 10 ng/dL increment in annual reduction of testosterone, the risk of PCa would increase by 14% [adjusted odds ratio, 1.14; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-1.25]. Compared to patients with a relatively stable testosterone, patients with an annual testosterone reduction of more than 30 ng/dL had 5.03 [95% CI: 1.53, 16.55] fold increase in PCa risk. This implies a faster age-related reduction in, but not absolute level of serum total testosterone as a risk factor for PCa. Further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this finding.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and neutrophil-to-monocyte rates in the decision for a prostate re-biopsy in patients with a previous benign pathology and consistently 2,5-10 ng/ml PSA value.

OBJECTIVES: In this study we compared neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and neutrophilto- monocyte ratio(NMR) between patients with prostate cancer after first transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)- guided biopsy and patients with benign prostate hyperplasia(BPH) after second TRUS-guided biyopsy. METHODS: A total of 224 patients who underwent multi (≥12)-core TRUS -guided biopsy at our clinic for elevated PSA or abnormal digital rectal examination in between January 2008 and March 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 2 groups. Group 1 consisted of 146 patients with a diagnosis of prostate cancer after the first TRUSguided biyopsy and group 2 consisted of 78 patients with a diagnosis of benign prostate hyperplasia after second TRUS-guided biyopsy. Age, PSA, NLR and NMR values were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant correlation between PSA and NLR(p=0.46). The mean of age, PSA, NLR, NMR values in the group 1 and 2 were respectively 64.6±7.7 and 61.6±6.9, 6.5±1.9 and 5.3±1.2, 2.8±1.5 and 2.3±1.1, 9.2±3.9, 8.1±2.9 (p=0.03, p=0.001, p=0.012 and p=0.30). The mean PSA, NLR ,NMR values of the group 1 were significantly higher than those in group 2 (p=0.002). Gleason grade and pathological stage were significantly increases as NLR increases. CONCLUSION: NLR and NMR in patients with BPH after second TRUS-guided biopsy were lower than that of those with a diagnosis of prostate cancer after the first TRUS-guided biopsy.White blood test subtypes can be considered for the decision to perform a second TRUSguided biopsy in patients with previous negative biopsy with persistently elevated PSA.

Serum Autoantibodies in Chronic Prostate Inflammation in Prostate Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: Chronic inflammation is frequently observed on histological analysis of malignant and non-malignant prostate specimens. It is a suspected supporting factor for prostate diseases and their progression and a main cause of false positive PSA tests in cancer screening. We hypothesized that inflammation induces autoantibodies, which may be useful biomarkers. We aimed to identify and validate prostate inflammation associated serum autoantibodies in prostate cancer patients and evaluate the expression of corresponding autoantigens. METHODS: Radical prostatectomy specimens of prostate cancer patients (N = 70) were classified into high and low inflammation groups according to the amount of tissue infiltrating lymphocytes. The corresponding pre-surgery blood serum samples were scrutinized for autoantibodies using a low-density protein array. Selected autoantigens were identified in prostate tissue and their expression pattern analyzed by immunohistochemistry and qPCR. The identified autoantibody profile was cross-checked in an independent sample set (N = 63) using the Luminex-bead protein array technology. RESULTS: Protein array screening identified 165 autoantibodies differentially abundant in the serum of high compared to low inflammation patients. The expression pattern of three corresponding antigens were established in benign and cancer tissue by immunohistochemistry and qPCR: SPAST (Spastin), STX18 (Syntaxin 18) and SPOP (speckle-type POZ protein). Of these, SPAST was significantly increased in prostate tissue with high inflammation. All three autoantigens were differentially expressed in primary and/or castration resistant prostate tumors when analyzed in an inflammation-independent tissue microarray. Cross-validation of the inflammation autoantibody profile on an independent sample set using a Luminex-bead protein array, retrieved 51 of the significantly discriminating autoantibodies. Three autoantibodies were significantly upregulated in both screens, MUT, RAB11B and CSRP2 (p>0.05), two, SPOP and ZNF671, close to statistical significance (p = 0.051 and 0.076). CONCLUSIONS: We provide evidence of an inflammation-specific autoantibody profile and confirm the expression of corresponding autoantigens in prostate tissue. This supports evaluation of autoantibodies as non-invasive markers for prostate inflammation.

Glycosylation status of serum immunoglobulin G in patients with prostate diseases.

Occurrences of high values in patients with benign prostate disease and low values in patients with highly suspicious cancer have diminished the trustworthiness of prostate-specific antigen as an early diagnostic marker of prostate cancer. In the search for other complimentary markers, we focused on serum IgG from patients with prostate diseases as well as normal subjects. IgG purified from the sera of normal control subjects and patients with prostate diseases, was digested with peptide N-glycanase. Released glycans were quantified using MALDI-time of flight mass spectrometry. We report that N-linked (N-acetylhexosamine)2 (deoxyhexose)(mannose)3 (N-acetylglucosamine)2 was significantly increased in the IgG heavy chains of patients with prostate cancer compared with that of either benign prostatic disease patients or healthy subjects, whereas (hexose)(N-acetylhexosamine)2 (deoxyhexose)(mannose)3 (N-acetylglucosamine)2 was more abundant in the heavy chains of healthy subjects and benign prostatic disease patients. Thus, an absence of the terminal hexose of N-linked glycans has been closely connected to the progression of prostate cancer. Furthermore, surface plasmon resonance analyses have revealed that IgG from patients with prostate cancer has a decreased binding for Sambucus nigra lectin, compared with that from the benign prostatic disease patients or from normal subjects, suggesting lower levels of (N-acetylneuraminic acid)(α2-6)galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine groups in the N-linked glycans of patient IgG. Meanwhile, wheat germ agglutinin binding to IgG of the cancer group was significantly larger than that for the benign prostatic disease group but smaller than that for normal subjects. Our study indicates that the glycosylation changes in IgG can become useful diagnostic parameters for prostate cancer.

[Evaliating men's health survey results within the framework of "men's health school"].

Within the framework of "Men's Health School" 571 men were examined in 2014. The mean age of the surveyed men was 49.66+/-14.5 years. 86% (227) of the surveyed men had PSA levels from 0 to 4 ng/ml. Prostate ultrasound scan showed prostate enlargement in 37.2%+/-6.0 of men. The disturbances of libido or sexual life were registered in 45.5% (221) of the surveyed men. 58% of patients reported insufficient penile rigidity for sexual intercourse, 50% reported a sharp decrease in the amount of ejaculate, and 10% - pain during erection. Detailed medical history showed that in many patients the disease was provoked by family discord. The study findings revealed the poor condition of the male reproductive system in Kazakhstan. Resolving this problem requires considerable logistical costs, and an integrated approach to the early detection of diseases of the male reproductive system. The reproductive health of men was found to be affected by somatic, psychological and sexual health factors. At present we can say about the need for such "Men's Health School" in all regions on a regular basis, especially with the training of the primary care physicians.

Oxidative stress indicators in patients with prostate disorders in Enugu, South-East Nigeria.

Depletion of cellular antioxidants can result from free radical formation due to normal endogenous reactions and the ingestion of exogenous substances and environmental factors. The levels of reactive oxygen species-(ROS-) scavenging enzymes such as SOD and glutathione peroxidase have been shown to be significantly altered in malignant cells and in primary cancer tissues. The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant status of patients with prostate disorders in South-East Nigeria to ascertain the possible role of depletion of antioxidants in prostatic degeneration. 104 subjects made up of 40 PCa patients, 32 with BPH, and 32 controls participated in this study. The levels of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, vitamin C, and vitamin E were estimated using standard procedures. The results show that both the BPH and PCa patients had a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in GPX, SOD, vitamin C, and vitamin E levels compared to the control subjects. However, there was also a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in SOD and vitamin C levels in PCa patients when compared with the BPH group. This indicates that patients with BPH and prostate cancer have decreased antioxidant status and may benefit from micronutrient supplementation.

Association between systemic inflammatory markers and serum prostate-specific antigen in men without prostatic disease - the 2001-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND: Serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) may be elevated in otherwise healthy men; systemic inflammation has been associated with cancer. The study of systemic inflammatory markers in men without clinical prostate disease, but with elevated PSA may characterize the subgroup of men at higher risk for subsequent prostate cancer. METHODS: We investigated the associations between systemic inflammatory markers and serum PSA in 3,164 healthy men without prostatic disease, aged >40 years, from the 2001 to 2008 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Serum total PSA levels and concentrations of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and plasma fibrinogen, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, and platelet count were recorded. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ratio and platelet-lymphocyte (PLR) ratio were calculated. PSA elevation was defined as levels equal or greater than 4 ng/ml. RESULTS: Elevated serum PSA (194 men, 6.1% of the total), was significantly associated with plasma fibrinogen (ORmultiv = 1.88; 95% CI, 1.09-3.25), and NLR (ORmultiv = 1.14; 95% CI, 1.03-1.26), after adjustment for age, smoking, body mass index, education, race, co-morbidities, and use of medications. CONCLUSIONS: Markers of systemic inflammation were associated with elevated PSA in men without known prostatic disease. Future studies are needed to examine these markers' relationship with prostate cancer occurrence and progression.

Physical exercise on the rat ventral prostate: steroid hormone receptors, apoptosis and cell proliferation.

Studies have investigated the effect of exercise on prostate cancer risk. However, there are still doubts regarding the correlation between physical activity and the steroid hormones with respect to the reduction of the risk for prostatic lesions. We evaluated the levels of corticosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), testosterone, estradiol, and steroid hormone receptors, and investigated the relationship between apoptosis and cell proliferation in the rat ventral prostate after training. Two groups were included in this study: control and trained. The trained group was submitted to training for 13 weeks (1 week of adaptation). Two days after the last training session, all animals were euthanized, and the intermediate and distal regions of the ventral prostate were collected and processed for immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and hormonal analyses. Physical exercise increased the corticosterone plasma, DHT and testosterone. In addition, androgen receptor expression was lower and estrogen receptor (ER) α and ER ß expression were higher in the trained group. However, the trained group showed disruption of the ratio of apoptotic to proliferating cells, indicating a predominance of apoptosis. We conclude that physical exercise alters the sex hormones and their receptors and is associated with the disruption of the balance between apoptosis and cell proliferation in the rat ventral prostate.