Plasma and urine DNA levels are related to microscopic hematuria in patients with bladder urothelial carcinoma.

a) Objective: An increase in cell-free DNA was observed in the plasma of many cancer patients. This major biomarker can be used to differentiate patients with malignant neoplasms from those with benign neoplasms or healthy patients. Depending on the characteristic of the tumor, there are qualitative variations in the circulating cell-free DNA. Today, studies on the concentration of fragments of circulating cell-free DNA and their respective sizes in patients with bladder cancer are not plentiful in the literature. A 100% effective plasma tumor marker, which would help in the diagnosis and follow-up of bladder cancer, is yet to be developed; therefore, cell-free DNA levels in the plasma may represent a valuable biomarker for the diagnosis, prognosis and follow-up of patients with this type of tumor. b) Design and methods: In this study we analyze the kinetics of plasma and urine DNA concentrations in patients with bladder cancer, relating them to the other clinical laboratory variables. c) Results: Patients with hematuria showed a positive correlation with urine DNA. d) Conclusion: An increase in plasma and urine DNA was unprecedentedly reported over time, a fact that may come in handy in the prognosis of patients. Furthermore, microscopic haematuria is correlated with plasma and urinary DNA levels.

Hyaluronan-mediated motility receptor (RHAMM) immunohistochemical expression and androgen deprivation in normal peritumoral, hyperplasic and neoplastic prostate tissue.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate hyaluronan-mediated motility receptor (RHAMM) expression in normal, hyperplasic and neoplastic prostate tissue after various types and durations of androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT). Clinical and oncological data from men with localised prostate adenocarcinoma were also assessed and compared with RHAMM expression data. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from 367 men who underwent histological evaluation of the prostate were retrospectively evaluated under six conditions: (i) benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), (ii) BPH treated with finasteride, (iii) prostate cancer without ADT, (iv) prostate cancer treated with neoadjuvant ADT before prostatectomy (cyproterone 200 mg/day), (v) castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), and (vi) normal peritumoral prostate tissue. Tissue microarrays were constructed and 1354 cores were evaluated for immunohistochemical RHAMM expression. RESULTS: There was no RHAMM expression in any tissue from normal patients or those with BPH or prostate cancer without ADT. There was RHAMM expression in 39.4% of prostate cancer tissues treated with ADT and in 46.2% of CRPC samples (P = 0.001). There was a significant increase in RHAMM expression with increased ADT duration in group 4, with a marked increase in RHAMM expression after 6-12 months of ADT (P = 0.04). No prognostic or clinical factors related to prostate cancer were associated with RHAMM expression. CONCLUSIONS: RHAMM expression in prostate cancer is directly associated with ADT. Significant RHAMM expression occurs as early as after 1 month of ADT and progressively increases with ADT duration. When prostate cancer becomes CRPC, RHAMM expression is higher. RHAMM expression was not associated with prostate cancer prognostic factors. RHAMM overexpression may contribute to the development of hormonal resistance in prostate cancer.