Preoperative Plasma Levels of Transforming Growth Factor Beta₁ (TGF-β₁) Strongly Predict Progression in Patients Undergoing Radical Prostatectomy

Abstract

Plasma TGF-beta(1) levels are markedly elevated in men with prostate cancer metastatic to regional lymph nodes and bone. In men without clinical or pathologic evidence of metastases, the preoperative plasma TGF-beta(1) level is a strong predictor of biochemical progression after surgery, presumably because of an association with occult metastatic disease present at the time of radical prostatectomy.