THE INFLUENCE OF LIPIDS ON PROSTATE CANCER IN RELATION TO GLEASON SCORE

Abstract

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer in the United States among men. The treatment options for Prostate cancer are usually generalized and some patients are overtreated, resulting in many people’s quality of life to decrease. PCa is rated on a scale from 2 to 9 and the higher the number the more severe the PCa; but for this study, the scale is 6 and below, 3+4, 4+3, and 8 and above (7 is split into the two groups 3+4 and 4+3; 4+3 being the more severe). It is well documented that cancers have large amounts of pro inflammatory biomarkers, such as Aracidonic acid (AA), Omega-3 (n-3), Omega-6 (n-6) activating pathways such as the nf-k阝 pathway. The study presented examined the potential role of fatty acids as a potential biomarker for PCa. seventy four PCa blood plasma samples were used and run through four experiments: untargeted lipidomics analysis, Secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) ELISA assay analysis, fatty acid methyl ester analysis (FAME), and free fatty acid (FFA) analysis. Through targeted lipidomics, Ceramides (Cer), Triglycerides (TG) and Diacylglycerol (DG) decreased in levels as Gleason score increased while Phosphatidylcholine (PC) increased in levels as Gleason score increased. In sPLA2 ELISA assay analysis, no significance was found (p > .05). In FAME, when looking at AA, Dihomo gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and the ratios of AA/DGLA, AA/EPA, and AA/DHA, we see no significance (p>.05). In targeted FFA analysis, Linoleic acid (C18:3) was the only FFA that showed any widespread statistical significance (p < .05). These preliminary findings show that certain lipids could have influence on PCa severity, making it a good place to target for therapies as well as use as a biomarker for PCa.