Blood Metabolite Changes Before Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
Author Information
Author(s): Zoe S. Grenville, Noor Urwah, Sabina Rinaldi, Marc J. Gunter, Pietro Ferrari, Claudia Agnoli, Pilar Amiano, Alberto Catalano, María Dolores Chirlaque, Sofia Christakoudi, Marcela Guevara, Matthias Johansson, Rudolf Kaaks, Verena Katzke, Giovanna Masala, Anja Olsen, Keren Papier, Maria‐Jose Sánchez, Matthias B. Schulze, Anne Tjønneland, Tammy Y. N. Tong, Rosario Tumino, Elisabete Weiderpass, Raul Zamora‐Ros, Timothy J. Key, Karl Smith‐Byrne, Julie A. Schmidt, Ruth C. Travis
Primary Institution: Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Oxford Population Health, University of Oxford
Hypothesis
Can measuring blood metabolites help identify risk factors for prostate cancer?
Conclusion
The study suggests that changes in blood metabolite profiles may occur up to a decade before the diagnosis of advanced prostate cancer.
Supporting Evidence
- Six phosphatidylcholines were inversely associated with advanced prostate cancer diagnosed at or within 10 years of blood collection.
- Metabolite patterns 1 and 2 were inversely associated with advanced prostate cancer when diagnosed at or within 10 years.
- Pattern 3 was associated with lower risk of prostate cancer death.
Takeaway
Scientists looked at blood samples from men to see if certain chemicals could help predict prostate cancer. They found some signs that changes in these chemicals happen years before cancer is found.
Methodology
The study used liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to measure 148 metabolites in blood samples and applied multivariable-adjusted conditional logistic regression for analysis.
Potential Biases
Potential reverse causation where pre-clinical cancer alters metabolite levels.
Limitations
Different sample handling procedures and the use of non-fasting blood samples may impact metabolite levels.
Participant Demographics
Participants were mainly men aged 35 to 70 from 19 centers in eight countries.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.0003
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.66–0.96
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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