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Clinical and genomic characterization of Low PSA Secretors: a unique subset of metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer

Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases volume 24, pages 81–87 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

Background

Metastatic disease burden out of proportion to serum PSA has been used as a marker of aggressive phenotype prostate cancer but is not well defined as a distinct subgroup. We sought to prospectively characterize the molecular features and clinical outcomes of Low PSA Secretors.

Methods

Eligible metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients without prior small cell histology underwent metastatic tumor biopsy with molecular characterization. Low PSA secretion was defined as serum PSA < 2, 5, or 10 ng/mL plus >5 metastases with radiographic progression at study entry. Clinical and molecular features were compared between low PSA vs. normal secretors in a post-hoc fashion.

Results

183 patients were enrolled, including 15 (8%) identified as Low PSA Secretors using optimal PSA cut point of 5 ng/mL. Biopsies from Low PSA Secretors demonstrated higher t-SCNC and RB1 loss and lower AR transcriptional signature scores compared with normal secretors. Genomic loss of RB1 and/or TP53 was more common in Low PSA Secretors (80% vs. 41%). Overall survival (OS) was shorter in Low PSA Secretors (median OS = 26.7 vs. 46.0 months, hazard ratio = 2.465 (95% CI: 0.982–6.183). Progression-free survival (PFS) on post-biopsy treatment with AR-targeted therapy was shorter than with chemotherapy (median PFS 6.2 vs. 4.1 months).

Conclusions

Low PSA secretion in relation to metastatic tumor burden may be a readily available clinical selection tool for de-differentiated mCRPC with molecular features consistent with t-SCNC. Prospective validation is warranted.

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Fig. 1: Genomic variants in patient cohort from targeted next-generation DNA sequencing.
Fig. 2: Treatment-emergent small cell NEPC signature scores in Low PSA Secretor and normal PSA secretor mCRPC samples.
Fig. 3: Survival outcomes by PSA secretor status.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported in part by a Stand Up To Cancer Dream Team award, funded by the Prostate Cancer Foundation, Movember, and Stand up to Cancer, grant number SU2C-AACR-DT0812 (PI: EJS). The authors thank Karen Knudsen and Christopher McNair for providing a RB1 loss signature [21] for application to the transcriptome.

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  1. These authors contributed equally: Rahul Aggarwal, Gustavo Rubio Romero

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Rahul Aggarwal, Gustavo Rubio Romero, Adam Foye & Felix Feng

  2. University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA

    Verena Friedl, Alana Weinstein, Joshua M. Stuart & Eric J. Small

  3. Duke University, Durham, NC, USA

    Jiaoti Huang

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  1. Rahul Aggarwal
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Correspondence to Rahul Aggarwal.

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Aggarwal, R., Romero, G.R., Friedl, V. et al. Clinical and genomic characterization of Low PSA Secretors: a unique subset of metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 24, 81–87 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41391-020-0228-0

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