Clinical and Metabolic Implications of Obesity in Prostate Cancer: Is Testosterone a Missing Link?

The study assessed 181 men over 45 years old, including 103 with prostate cancer (PCa) and 78 without, and found that PCa aggressiveness increased with age and BMI but decreased with total testosterone (TT) and estradiol (E2) levels. In vitro experiments showed that adipocyte-secreted molecules increased PCa cell aggressiveness, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) promoted invasiveness. The study concluded that alterations in hormone profiles and BMI were associated with PCa pathogenesis, suggesting a complex interplay between obesity, sex hormones, and PCa. Additionally, it found that overweight and obese men had higher Gleason scores, and low testosterone levels were significantly associated with increased tumor aggressiveness. The study highlighted the role of obesity-related hormones and cytokines in PCa progression, noting that leptin levels were related to BMI but did not significantly correlate with PCa aggressiveness or testosterone levels.