Background: Cell free circulating DNA (cfcDNA) is a promising diagnostic tool for prostate cancer (PCa). This study aimed to measure the cfcDNA concentration and integrity in PCa patients using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis. This study also assessed the correlation between these molecular biomarkers with total prostate-specific antigen (PSA), Gleason score, prostate volume, and age.
Methods: Eleven PCa patients and 9 persons with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were recruited. Blood samples were collected before prostate biopsy and plasma quantified by qPCR amplification of the ALU 115 DNA sequence, with the ratio of ALU 247 to ALU 115 reflecting cfcDNA integrity.
Results: There were no significant differences in median, interquartile range (IQR) cfcDNA concentration or cfcDNA integrity between the patients with PCa (47.9 (214.93) ng/mL; 0.61 (0.49)) and persons with BPH (41.5 (55.13) ng/mL, p = 0.382; 0.67 (0.45), p = 0.342). A weakly positive correlation exists between cfcDNA concentration and total PSA (r = 0.200, p = 0.555) but not with age or Gleason score in PCa patients.
Conclusion: cfcDNA concentration was relatively nonsignificantly higher in PCa patients in comparison to persons with BPH, whereas cfcDNA integrity was similar in both groups. Though limited in sample size, this study shows that cfcDNA concentration may be a potentially valuable noninvasive biomarker for the diagnosis of PCa.
Keywords: cancer; cell free; circulating DNA; integrity; prostate.