PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - ARGYRO SAVVANI
AU  - CONSTANTINA PETRAKI
AU  - PAVLOS MSAOUEL
AU  - EVANGELIA DIAMANTI
AU  - IOANNIS XOXAKOS
AU  - MICHAEL KOUTSILIERIS
TI  - IGF-IEc Expression Is Associated with Advanced Clinical and Pathological Stage of Prostate Cancer
DP  - 2013 Jun 01
TA  - Anticancer Research
PG  - 2441--2445
VI  - 33
IP  - 6
4099  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/33/6/2441.short
4100  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/33/6/2441.full
SO  - Anticancer Res2013 Jun 01; 33
AB  - Background: Recent evidence suggests a role for the insulin-like growth factor-1Ec (IGF-IEc) transcript variant in cancer biology. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether IGF-IEc expression is associated with prostate cancer stage. Materials and Methods: Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded prostate cancer surgical specimens from 83 patients were assessed by immunohistochemistry for IGF-IEc expression. Results: Normal prostate epithelium was negative or demonstrated mild IGF-IEc cytoplasmic expression whereas prostate cancer exhibited mild to strong cytoplasmic immunoexpression. The mean IGF-1Ec expression, was significantly lower (p=0.004) in localized (stage ≤IIb) prostate cancer, compared to locally advanced tumors (stage ≥III). Only one out of 83 (1.2%) prostate cancer samples was completely negative for IGF-IEc. A weak-positive correlation was also observed between IGF-IEc expression levels and Gleason score (r=0.247; p=0.024). Conclusion: The present data demonstrate that the expression of IGF-IEc is positively-associated with more advanced stage and higher Gleason score of prostate carcinomas.