Not all enlarged prostates are the same, say University of Pittsburgh r...( PITTSBURGH May 23 Men with asymptomat...)

PITTSBURGH, May 23 Men with asymptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), symptomatic BPH, and BPH with prostate cancer express different genes according to a study published by the University of Pittsburgh in the May 28 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). These findings are the first to investigate the molecular differences underlying BPH, commonly referred to as an enlarged prostate.

We have known that not all BPH is the same; patients experience different degrees of prostate enlargement and experience different symptoms, ranging from none to renal failure, but we didnt know why, said Robert Getzenberg, Ph.D., director of urological research and associate professor, department of urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and co-director of the prostate and urologic cancer program of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI). In fact, we knew little about the causes of BPH, and prior to this study, we knew very little about the genetics of BPH. As a result, we were treating all patients in a similar manner, which proved to be very costly and, in many patients, ineffective. Now, we can look into targeting the different types of BPH and creating new therapies to alleviate the symptoms of the disease based upon their unique properties.

Researchers identified a set of 511 genes that were differentially expressed in tissue samples taken from four groups of patients: normal (patients without BPH), BPH without symptoms, BPH with symptoms, and BPH with cancer. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that each of the four groups were clearly distinguishable from one another. The prostates of the group of men with symptomatic BPH were most similar to the BPH areas of the individuals with prostate cancer. This relationship may indicate the presence of a potential link between BPH and prostate cancer that has not been previously identified as well as support the concept of a genetic field eff
'"/>

Contact: Jocelyn Uhl
412-647-3555
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
27-May-2002

Page: 1 2 3
Related biology news :

1. New study provides first linkage of fetal alcohol exposure and enlarged heart
2. Indiana University, EPA to study airborne PCBs
3. University of Alberta researcher looks for clues to mysterious disease
4. Northeastern University receives $12.4 million NSF grant for creation of nanomanufacturing institute
5. Washington University in St. Louis leads group studying aging process
6. Tufts University establishes $4 million dollar tissue engineering resource center
7. Case for IBD combination therapy comes from research at Baylor, MIT and Hebrew University
8. As informatics grows, Indiana University helps set research agenda
9. University of Arizona licenses patent for natural fungicide
10. Washington University in St. Louis plays key role in sequencing moss genome
11. University of Pittsburgh receives $10 million grant for head and neck cancer