Evaluation of nuclear factor κB and chemokine receptor CXCR4 co-expression in patients with prostate cancer in the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 8610.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the frequency of nuclear factor κB (NFκB) and the chemokine receptor CXCR4 co-expression in prostate cancer specimens from men with locally advanced disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Paraffin-embedded samples from patients enrolled on the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 8610 trial underwent immunohistochemical staining for NFκB and CXCR4. The amount of NFκB and CXCR4 was scored by a 'blinded' pathologist for the percentage of cells stained (0-100%) and staining intensity (0-3 +). Cox proportional hazard models were used for overall survival and disease-free survival to examine if NFκB and/or CXCR4 expression were associated with patient outcomes with and without adjustment for covariates.

RESULTS

Available material and successful staining allowed NFκB and CXCR4 status to be determined for 55 and 63 patients, respectively. Both NFκB and CXCR4 status were available for 51 patients. Of these, 53% were 2/3 + for cytoplasmic NFκB staining and 56% were 2/3 + for CXCR4. In all, 18 of the 51 patients were 2/3 + for both NFκB and CXCR4 (P = 0.129). Ten of 11 patients with 3 + NFκB had 2/3 + CXCR4 (P= 0.004). In this small study, neither NFκB nor CXCR4 were associated with prostate cancer outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

High NFκB expression is associated with CXCR4 expression and they are co-expressed in about one third of patients with clinically localized prostate cancer. Larger studies to accurately determine the frequency of co-expression and prognostic utility of NFκB and CXCR4 alone and in combination are warranted.