Serum sarcosine is a risk factor for progression and survival in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. (June 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lucarelli, Giuseppe; Ditonno, Pasquale; Bettocchi, Carlo; Spilotros, Marco; Rutigliano, Monica; Vavallo, Antonio; Galleggiante, Vanessa; Fanelli, Margherita; Larocca, Angela Maria Vittoria; Germinario, Cinzia Annatea; Maiorano, Eugenio; Selvaggi, Francesco Paolo; Battaglia, Michele
• Is Part Of: Future oncology. Volume 9:Number 6(2013)
• Page Start: 899
• Page End: 907
• Publication Date: 2013-06
• Subjects: biomarker -- cancer metabolism -- castration-resistant prostate cancer -- docetaxel -- serum sarcosine; Oncology -- Periodicals; 616.99405
• DOI: 10.2217/fon.13.50
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1479-6694

Abstract

Aim: Sarcosine has been identified as a differential metabolite that is greatly increased during progression from normal tissue to prostate cancer and metastatic disease. In this study we assessed the role of serum sarcosine in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients.Patients & methods: Data from 52 mCRPC patients treated with docetaxel-based chemotherapy were retrospectively analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic curves, and Kaplan–Meier and Cox multivariate analyses were performed.Results: Median sarcosine values were significantly higher in mCRPC versus non-mCRPC patients (0.81 vs 0.52 nmol/µl; p < 0.0001). A significant correlation resulted between serum sarcosine levels and the duration of hormone sensitivity (Spearman's correlation coefficient: -0.51; p = 0.001). At multivariate analysis sarcosine was an independent prognostic factor of outcome in terms of overall and progression-free survival.Conclusion: Serum sarcosine values were significantly increased in patients with metastatic disease. Moreover, this biomarker is a risk factor for progression and survival in chemotherapy-treated mCRPC patients.