Molecular Hallmarks of Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging Visibility in Prostate Cancer

Eur Urol. 2019 Jul;76(1):18-23. doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2018.12.036. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Abstract

Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) has transformed the management of localized prostate cancer by improving identification of clinically significant disease at diagnosis. Approximately 20% of primary prostate tumors are invisible to mpMRI, and we hypothesize that this invisibility reflects fundamental molecular properties of the tumor. We therefore profiled the genomes and transcriptomes of 40 International Society of Urological Pathology grade 2 tumors: 20 mpMRI-invisible (Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System [PI-RADS] v2 <3) and 20 mpMRI-visible (PI-RADS v2 5) tumors. mpMRI-visible tumors were enriched in hallmarks of nimbosus, an aggressive pathological, molecular, and microenvironmental phenomenon in prostate cancer. These hallmarks included genomes with increased mutation density, a higher prevalence of intraductal carcinoma/cribriform architecture pathology, and altered abundance of 102 transcripts, including overexpression of noncoding RNAs such as SCHLAP1. Multiple small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) were identified, and a snoRNA signature synergized with nimbosus hallmarks to discriminate visible from invisible tumors. These data suggest a confluence of aggressive molecular and microenvironmental phenomena underlie mpMRI visibility of localized prostate cancer. PATIENT SUMMARY: We examined the correlation between tumor biology and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) visibility in a group of patients with low- intermediate-risk prostate cancer. We observed that MRI findings are associated with biological features of aggressive prostate cancer.

Keywords: Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging visibility; Nimbosus; Prostate cancer; Radiogenomics; Transcriptomics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Gene Dosage
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Genome
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / genetics*
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism*
  • RNA, Small Nuclear / metabolism*
  • Transcriptome
  • Tumor Burden
  • Tumor Microenvironment

Substances

  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Small Nuclear
  • SChLAP1 long noncoding RNA