Investigating CD133 as a Biomarker of Prostate Cancer Disparity in African American Men

The following article features coverage from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 2019 meeting. Click here to read more of Cancer Therapy Advisor‘s conference coverage.

Results from an analysis of tumor characteristics and survival data from African American and Caucasian men with late-stage prostate cancer suggested that late-stage tumors of men of African ancestry were more likely to express the transmembrane glycoprotein, CD133. Findings from this study were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019.

Both prostate cancer incidence and prostate cancer-specific mortality are higher in African American men compared with Caucasian men. In this study, researchers investigated tumor expression of CD133 as a possible factor contributing to this disparity.

An analysis of tumor genomic and patient data from the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) for both African American and Caucasian men with matched late-stage prostate cancer showed that African American men had worse survival outcomes and higher CD133 tumor expression compared with Caucasian men. In addition, this difference between the 2 groups was significant when expression of both CD133 and CD44 was considered (P =.04). Confirmatory results regarding CD133 expression levels were obtained in a separate study involving immunohistochemical staining of prostate tissue from African American and Caucasian men with prostate cancer or benign prostatic hypertrophy.  

“Elevated CD133 shows an association with patients with African ancestry. Further studies are necessary on a larger series of cases to elucidate the role of CD133 in the development and progression of prostate cancer and its suitability as a prognostic biomarker,” the researchers noted in conclusion.

Read more of Cancer Therapy Advisor‘s coverage of AACR 2019 meeting by visiting the conference page.

Reference

1. Adu-Addai B, Salam AB, Amin R, et al. CD133 as a disparity stem cell biomarker in African Americans with late-stage prostate cancer. Presented at: American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2019; March 29-April 3, 2019; Atlanta, GA. Abstract LB181/14.