Abstract
Since 1980, prostate specific antigen (PSA) has been using for screening of prostate carcinoma, followed by other diagnostic approaches. The relative reliability of these examinations is redeemed by painful, invasive damage of tissue.
Hence, nowadays arises the requirement for molecules that could be utilized for diagnostic and/or prognostic purposes. In this study we present a pilot experiment that deals with the potential of the amino acid - proline.
Previously we showed that proline may serve as an auxiliary diagnostic marker. Using comparison of two groups of patients (n = 30) we showed that proline may also provide very useful information about the treatment outcome after surgery for prostate carcinoma.
Urinary samples obtained from patients after radical prostatectomy, in whom incomplete removal of prostate cancer tissue was suspected, contained higher levels of proline, when compared to the group of patients with remission. Although the prognostic potential of proline is promising, comprehensive study of large cohort of patients with long term follow-up is required to confirm our hypothesis.