The objective was to characterize and associate the receptor reactivities of fibroblastic
growth factor (FGF)-2, FGF-7, FGF-8,
epidermal growth factor (
EGF), α-actin and
vimentin in relation to the
androgen receptor (AR), α and β
estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ), and
prolactin receptor in the prostate of elderly men showing low- and high-grade
adenocarcinoma. Thirty prostatic samples were taken from 60- to 90-year-old patients without prostatic lesions and with low-grade
cancer and high-grade
cancer, from the University Hospital, School of Medicine, the State University of Campinas. The results showed that increased
FGF-2, FGF-7, and FGF-8 receptor reactivities and decreased AR reactivity were verified in both high- and low-grade
cancer. However, the FGF-8 receptor showed greater involvement at the beginning of the
malignancy alterations. Increased
EGF receptor (EGFR) reactivity and diminished α-actin immunohistochemistry were identified in both
cancer groups. Also, increased ERα, PR, and
vimentin receptors were verified in both
cancer groups. To conclude, the ERα involvement in the reactive stroma activation led to a microenvironment, which was favorable to
cancer progression, due to maximizing stromal imbalance. The
prolactin could be related to
cancer progression due to its interaction with ERα action, indicating that this
hormone could be a relevant target to prevent the
estrogenic effects in the prostatic lesions. Both
FGF receptor (FGFR)-2 and FGFR-8 play a fundamental role in the early stages of
prostate cancer, suggesting that these molecules could be a promising therapeutic target. The differential localization of the fibroblastic factors between the prostatic epithelium and stroma of elderly men, who presented
prostate cancer, could indicate a favorable distinction for tumoral progression.