Detection of Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin-β in Serum or Urine of Prostate Cancer Patients Is of No Clinical Significance

Abstract

The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the potential role of elevated urinary/serum human chorionic gonadotrophin-β (hCGβ) in prostate cancer prognosis. 104 patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancers were included; 68 patients had organ-confined, 18 had locally advanced and 18 had metastatic disease. A control group consisted of 115 patients presenting with benign prostatic disease. Serum and urinary total hCGβ was measured prior to treatment and serum PSA was measured at diagnosis. The patients were treated along conventional lines and progression-free survival was assessed. Four patients had elevated serum and 10 had elevated urinary, total hCGβ. There were no significant correlations between serum/urinary levels of hCGβ and tumour stage, Gleason score or PSA. In contrast, serum PSA had significant linear correlations with both clinical tumour stage and Gleason score (p = 0.0001). At a median follow-up of 36 months, 22 (21.2%) patients had died while 17 (16.3%) others had progressed. Kaplan-Meier plots and log-rank test revealed no significant difference in progression-free survival between patients with elevated or normal levels of serum and/or urinary total hCGβ. Clinical tumour stage, grade and PSA were statistically significant prognostic variables. Immunoassay measurement of serum or urinary hCGβ has no significant role in the clinical management of prostate cancer.

Highly selective optical sensor N/S-doped carbon quantum dots (CQDs) for the assessment of human chorionic gonadotropin β-hCG in the serum of breast and prostate cancer patients

“…The β-subunit of the peptide hormone (β-hCG) was recognized in different germ cell and non-germ cell tumors, and it was used previously to monitor response to treatment and to detect tumor relapse. 6 The elevated level of β-hCG was observed in prostate 7 and breast cancer 8 patients. The diagnosis of breast cancer in the current scenario is done by mammogram, MRI and, MR spectroscopy, and breast biopsy tests.…”

Prostate cell lines as models for biomarker discovery: Performance of current markers and the search for new biomarkers

“…These biomarkers include endosomal‐lysosomal proteinases, such as cathepsins B and D, which have been detected in secretions from malignant cells . The amount of β‐human chorionic gonadotrophin protein is increased in the serum and urine of patients with prostate cancer, and this biomarker has been associated with low‐grade disease , however β‐human chorionic gonadotrophin is unable to distinguish patients at risk of mortality, and elevated amounts of this protein in serum or urine are only observed in a small proportion of patients (4–10%) . The carbohydrate antigen biomarkers CA 15‐3, CA 19‐9, C‐reactive protein, and carcinoma embryonic antigen, whilst having some prognostic capabilities, provide minimal diagnostic value due to their low specificity and the need for a prostate biopsy for this analysis ; and are therefore not being considered for use in prostate cancer detection .…”