A comprehensive analysis and comparison of lipid metabolism and inflammatory indices in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer

To investigate the role of metabolic indices in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PCa).

After exclusion of those with diabetes mellitus and incomplete characteristics, 552 PCa and 80 BPH patients who were diagnosed at Shandong University Affiliated Qilu Hospital between 2013 and 2022 were enrolled; and PCa patients were first compared to those with BPH in clinical characteristics. Then, we divided the patients into several groups according to the degree of risk and compared the variations in metabolic indices among the groups.

Compared to those with BPH, patients with prostate cancer were significantly shorter (167.19±5.68 cm vs. 170.89±5.35 cm, p<0.001) and had greater BMI (25.13±3.06 kg/m2 vs. 24.25±3.08 kg/m2, p=0.019) and higher prealbumin (24.59±4.85 mg/dl vs. 23.21±4.76 mg/dl, p=0.017), TC (181.53±91.90 mg/dl vs. 167.71±30.20 mg/dl, p= 0.008), LDL (107.09±29.42 mg/dl vs. 100.22±25.01 mg/dl, p= 0.027), TG (120.74±135.60 mg/dl vs. 102.27±48.37 mg/dl, p= 0.020), and glucose levels (5.25±0.87 mmol/L vs. 5.04±0.62 mmol/L, p= 0.007). It seemed that PCa patients had a more severe inflammatory status, but this difference was not significant. However, no significant difference in PCa development was found for either the Gleason score or its extension.

PCa seems to be related to a more severe inflammatory status and more active metabolism, and lipid abnormalities are the main cause of prostate cancer, but the causal relationships between lipids and prostate cancer are still unclear and need further research.