The Correlation between Apoptotic Index and Gleason Grade in Prostate Carcinoma

Song, Youn Jun; Yang, Dae Yul; Nam, Eun Sook

Abstract

PURPOSE
Apoptosis is a process of natural cell death that can occur under both normal and neoplastic conditions and increased apoptosis in neoplastic conditions is a feature of the increasing malignant potential. We investigated the possible relationship between the apoptotic index(AI) and Gleason grade, T stage of prostatic carcinoma.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A total of 31 patients with untreated prostatic carcinoma diagnosed by TURP, transrectal needle biopsy and radical prostatectomy was evaluated. We used in situ end labeling method for apoptotic staining. AI was compared with Gleason grade and T stage.
RESULTS
The values of mean AI according to Gleason grade were grade I, 1.3+/- 0.13, II, 1.38+/-0.11, III, 1.92+/-0.20, IV, 2.0+/-0.20, V, 2.01 +/-0.28. A positive correlation was noted between apoptotic index and Gleason grade, but not between apoptotic index and T stage.
CONCLUSIONS
We found a positive correlation between AI and Gleason grade and the possibility that AI may serve as an important morphological marker to predict the behavior of prostatic carcinoma.