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clinical

Relative telomere length and prostate cancer mortality

Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases volume 21, pages 579–583 (2018)Cite this article

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Abstract

Purpose

Telomeres are essential for the maintenance of chromosomal integrity and telomere length has been associated with cancer risk and development. Aim of the present study was to analyze the prognostic value of leukocyte relative telomere (RTL) length in long-term prostate cancer (PCa) mortality.

Methods

Blood samples of PCa patients were obtained before initiation of radiotherapy. RTL of peripheral blood leukocytes was determined by a quantitative polymerase chain reaction method in 533 patients with PCa. Main outcome was overall mortality.

Results

During a median follow-up time of 149 months, 188 (35.3%) patients died. In a univariate Cox regression analysis, RTL quartiles (longer RTL) were significantly associated with higher overall mortality (hazard ration (HR) = 1.20; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05–1.36; p = 0.006). In a multivariate Cox regression model including age at diagnosis, androgen deprivation therapy, and risk group (based on PSA level, GS, and T stage), RTL quartiles remained a significant predictor of higher overall mortality (HR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.07–1.39; p = 0.003).

Conclusions

Longer leukocyte RTL predicts higher overall mortality in patients with PCa.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria

    Wilfried Renner, Hans-Jürgen Gruber & Markus Herrmann

  2. Department of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria

    Sabine Krenn-Pilko & Tanja Langsenlehner

Authors
  1. Wilfried Renner
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  2. Sabine Krenn-Pilko
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  3. Hans-Jürgen Gruber
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  4. Markus Herrmann
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  5. Tanja Langsenlehner
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wilfried Renner.

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Ethical standards

The study has been approved by the Ethical Committee of the Medical University of Graz and has therefore been performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments. Written informed consent was obtained from all participating subjects.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Renner, W., Krenn-Pilko, S., Gruber, HJ. et al. Relative telomere length and prostate cancer mortality. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 21, 579–583 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41391-018-0068-3

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