Immunohistochemical Evaluation of Androgen Receptor Expression in Prostatic Adenocarcinoma in a Sample of Iraqi Patients: A Clinicopathological Study

—Background: Prostatic adenocarcinoma, which is the second most common cancer in men worldwide, is influenced by age, genetics, and androgen levels. Higher androgen receptor expression predicts poor survival outcomes, highlighting the role of androgen receptors in prostate cancer progression. Aim of the study: To evaluate the expression of androgen receptors within prostatic adenocarcinoma in Iraqi patients and to assess its correlation to some clinicopathological features like (age and grade) of prostatic adenocarcinoma in this specific population. Patients and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Al Yarmouk teaching hospital and a private lab, involving 60 participants diagnosed with prostate adenocarcinoma over ten months from January to October 2023. Patients without prior hormonal therapy or chemotherapy were included, while those with benign tumors, mesenchymal tumors, or undergoing neoadjuvant therapy were excluded. Results: In this study, the majority exhibited positive androgen receptor expression (91.7%). Age distribution showed a mean age of 67.33 years. Gleason scores indicated an escalating trend in histological grade, with high androgen receptor expression which had statistically significant association with Gleason scores and histological grades with p-value <0.05. Conclusion: The findings note the higher prevalence of AR expression in prostate cancer patients in contrast with lower expression levels in normal prostate tissue. Moreover, the study reveals significant associations between AR expression and Gleason score and disease aggressiveness, emphasizing the potential utility of AR expression as a prognostic biomarker.