Multiple tumor marker elevation in androgen ablation-refractory prostate cancer with long-term response to metronomic chemotherapy: a case report

Int J Biol Markers. 2010 Oct-Dec;25(4):243-7.

Abstract

Outcomes in hormone-refractory prostate cancer are very poor. The time from progression to death is only 12-19 months. We present the case of a 69-year-old man with hormone-refractory prostate cancer and bone metastases treated with metronomic chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide based). He had had a colon adenocarcinoma ten years before. The atypical features of this case were an unusually long-lasting response to metronomic chemotherapy and an increase in serum levels of some non-prostate-specific tumor markers (CEA and CA 19-9) that was not related to a relapse of colon cancer. We hypothesize a potential role of hypoxia inducing CA 19-9 and CEA expression in tumor cells, which may predict the development of progressive resistance to antiangiogenic therapies.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / surgery
  • Aged
  • Androgen Antagonists / therapeutic use
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood*
  • Bone Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Bone Neoplasms / secondary
  • CA-19-9 Antigen / blood
  • Carcinoembryonic Antigen / blood
  • Chromogranin A / blood
  • Colonic Neoplasms / surgery
  • Cyclophosphamide / administration & dosage*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary / surgery
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen / blood
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology

Substances

  • Androgen Antagonists
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • CA-19-9 Antigen
  • Carcinoembryonic Antigen
  • Chromogranin A
  • Cyclophosphamide
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen