Purpose: To distinguish potential biomarkers and build a useful model to predict the time required to progress to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) in patients with prostate cancer who have been treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT).
Methods: We considered 168 patients who received ADT as the initial therapy. Complete clinical data including age, tumor stage, Gleason score, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), complete blood count and liver function tests were analyzed. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate their effects on the time required to progress to CRPC, and a simple risk stratification model to predict the time required to progress to CRPC was established.
Results: One hundred and sixty-eight patients were evaluated. The median age was 72 years, and the mean time required to progress to CRPC was 15 months. Multivariable analysis indicated that PSA, alkaline phosphatase and albumin were independent predictors of ADT failure. A predictor model using these factors indicated significant differences in the time required to progress to CRPC between the three subgroups: low (score: 0), intermediate (score: 1-2) and high (score: 3-4).
Conclusion: The predictor model included PSA, alkaline phosphatase and albumin as independent prognostic factors of the time required to progress to CRPC in patients who had received ADT.
Keywords: Albumin; Alkaline phosphatase; Androgen deprivation therapy; Castration-resistant prostate cancer; Prostate-specific antigen.