Amyloid Deposits Linked to Bladder and Prostate Cancer Progression
Fresh research suggests a connection between amyloid deposits – abnormal protein structures – and the advancement of both bladder and prostate cancers. While the role of amyloids in cancer has been previously unclear, recent studies indicate they may contribute to tumor development and progression, offering potential new avenues for diagnosis and treatment.
A study published in November 2024 in Scientific Reports, using a murine model, found a positive correlation between the presence of amyloids and the stage of bladder cancer. Researchers identified that the amyloid proteome in bladder cancer cell lines included oncogenes, tumor suppressors and proteins highly expressed in cancer, suggesting amyloids may sequester key proteins involved in cancer development.
In prostate cancer, amyloid deposits are found in 2% to 10% of prostates with nodular hyperplasia or adenocarcinoma, according to PathologyOutlines.com. The incidence appears higher in patients with myeloma, primary amyloidosis of the kidney, or other chronic diseases. Amyloidosis of the seminal vesicles is observed in approximately 10% of radical prostatectomy specimens.
A retrospective study examining 40 patients with amyloid deposits in prostate samples, conducted between 2001 and 2022 at Hospital de Bellvitge, revealed that prostate cancer was diagnosed in 25 of those patients. The research, published in PubMed, found that in 36 patients, the prostate sample – including biopsies, resections, and prostatectomies – provided the initial diagnosis of amyloidosis.
The study too noted that amyloid deposits were primarily located in the walls of small blood vessels within the prostate. Immunohistochemistry results from 32 cases showed 26 were positive for transthyretin (TTR).
Many patients with amyloid deposits in the prostate experienced symptoms indicative of systemic amyloidosis, including hearing loss (55%), carpal tunnel syndrome (42.5%), osteoarticular issues, cataracts (37.5%), and cardiac symptoms (32.5%). These findings suggest that incidental discovery of amyloid in prostate tissue often corresponds to previously undiagnosed systemic TTR amyloidosis, particularly in patients with bone and joint problems, vision or hearing impairment, but without noticeable heart issues.
These discoveries highlight the importance of considering amyloid deposits when studying and diagnosing both bladder and prostate cancers. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms by which amyloids influence cancer progression and to explore their potential as therapeutic targets. The findings could lead to improved diagnostic tools and treatment strategies for these challenging cancers.
