Background/aim: Stage-specific embryonic antigen-4 (SSEA-4) expression is associated with malignant aggressiveness and is useful as a marker for identifying cancer stem cells. Our aim was to assess the relationship between hormonal therapy and SSEA-4 expression in prostate cancer (PC).
Materials and methods: SSEA-4 expression in paired specimens from PC patients who underwent neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT) and radical prostatectomy (60 pre-NHT specimens and 60 post-NHT specimens) was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Proliferation index (PI) and apoptotic index (AI) were also evaluated.
Results: Post-NHT tissues had significantly elevated SSEA-4 expression whereas anti-tumor effects of NHT were inversely correlated with SSEA-4 expression level. SSEA-4 expression in post-NHT tissues was significantly associated with biochemical recurrence-free survival. SSEA-4 expression in the post-NHT tissues was positively associated with PI and negatively done with AI.
Conclusion: SSEA-4 is a potential therapeutic target for limiting the malignant potential in hormone-naïve PC when considering the use of NHT.
Keywords: SSEA-4; biochemical recurrence; histological effect; neoadjuvant hormonal therapy; prostate cancer.
Copyright© 2020, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.