Racial Variations in Prostate Cancer Molecular Subtypes and Androgen Receptor Signaling Reflect Anatomic Tumor Location

Prostate cancer (PCa) subtypes based on ETS gene expression have been described. Recent studies suggest there are racial differences in tumor location, with PCa located anteriorly more often among African-American (AA) compared to Caucasian-American (CA) men.

In this retrospective analysis of a multi-institutional cohort treated by radical prostatectomy (179 CA, 121 AA), we evaluated associations among molecular subtype, race, anatomic tumor location, and androgen receptor (AR) signaling. Subtype (m-ERG(+), m-ETS(+), m-SPINK1(+), or triple-negative) was determined using distribution-based outlier analysis. AR signaling was investigated using gene expression profiling of canonical AR targets. m-ERG(+) was more common in CA than AA men (47% vs 22%, p

This study demonstrates associations among patient race, prostate cancer molecular subtypes, and tumor location. Location-specific differences in androgen regulation may further underlie these relationships.

European urology. 2015 Oct 03 [Epub ahead of print]

Farzana A Faisal, Debasish Sundi, Jeffrey J Tosoian, Voleak Choeurng, Mohammed Alshalalfa, Ashley E Ross, Eric Klein, Robert Den, Adam Dicker, Nicholas Erho, Elai Davicioni, Tamara L Lotan, Edward M Schaeffer

Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.  Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. , Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. , GenomeDx Biosciences, Vancouver, BC, Canada. , GenomeDx Biosciences, Vancouver, BC, Canada. , Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. , Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA. , Department of Radiation Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA. , Department of Radiation Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA. , GenomeDx Biosciences, Vancouver, BC, Canada. , GenomeDx Biosciences, Vancouver, BC, Canada. , Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. , Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.

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