Correlation Between Pretreatment MRI/MRSI Data and Tissue Molecular Marker Levels for Characterization of Prostate Cancer and Prediction of Disease Recurrence

Amita Shukla-Dave¹, H. Hricak¹, N. Ishill¹, C. S. Moskowitz¹, M. Drobnjak¹, V. E. Reuter¹, K. L. Zakian¹, P. T. Scardino¹, C. Cordon-Cardo²

Accurate pretreatment distinction between low-risk prostate cancer (PCa) and more advanced disease remains challenging. Better characterization of insignificant PCa and prediction of which cancers may recur after initial treatment are needed. Our study assessed whether MRI/MRSI data and molecular marker levels correlate with pathologically insignificant PCa and can predict disease recurrence. Eighty-nine patients underwent MRI/MRSI before radical prostatectomy. Immunohistochemistry assays for Ki-67, phoshpo-Akt and Androgen Receptor were performed on the surgical specimens. MRI/MRSI findings and molecular marker levels correlated with pathologically insignificant PCa and were significant predictors of recurrence. These results suggest that pretreatment MRI/MRSI findings and molecular marker analyses of biopsy samples could favorably impact treatment selection.