-Difluoromethylornithine and Polyamine Levels in the Human Prostate: Results of a Phase IIa Trial

Abstract

α-Diuoromethylornithine and Polyamine Levels in the Human Prostate: Results of a Phase IIa Trial Anne R. Simoneau  ; Eugene W. Gerner; Mai Phung; Christine E. McLaren; Frank L. Meyskens, Jr. JNCI J Natl Cancer Inst (2001) 93 (1): 57-59. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/93.1.57 Published: 03 January 2001 Article history   Views  Cite  Share  Tools Topic: polyamines , prostate , difluoromethylornithine Issue Section: Brief Communication Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy in men and the second leading cause of male cancer deaths in the United States (1). As such, the prevention of prostate cancer is of national medical concern. One approach to prevention of prostate cancer is to suppress the polyamine levels in the prostate, an avenue suggested by studies indicating that ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the ~rst enzyme in the polyamine pathway, is overexpressed in human prostate cancer tissue (2) and is the target enzyme for α-diuoromethylornithine (DFMO). This inhibitor suppresses tissue contents of polyamines, which are required for optimal cell proliferation and di{erentiation. Elevated levels of polyamine are associated with several malignant or premalignant lesions (3–5). Prostate cancer seems a logical organ system for DFMO chemoprevention, since ODC activity and polyamine content are higher in prostatic tissue than in other mammalian tissues (6). Also, investigators (7–10) have demonstrated marked polyamine suppression by DFMO in rodent prostates and prostate cell lines. Mohan et al. (2) measured ODC activity in benign and malignant Skip to Main from Content tissues the same patient and found the cancerous portion to have levels almost