Lipid biomarkers of prostate cancer: insights from triglycerides and saturated fatty acid metabolism

Background Prostate cancer poses a substantial threat to men’s health. Previous studies have hinted at potential links between dietary components like lipids and saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and prostate cancer, yet the precise relationships remain elusive.Methods A multicenter case-control study was executed. A total of 120 pathologically confirmed prostate cancer patients and 60 age- and BMI-matched healthy male controls were enrolled. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to quantitatively analyze the levels of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats in both prostate cancer tissues and adjacent tissues. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 23.0 software.Results Triglycerides (OR = 4.23, 95% CI: 2.15–8.32, p < 0.001) and saturated fatty acid/fatty acid ratio (OR = 3.89, 95% CI: 1.98–7.64, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with prostate cancer risk. Both indicators were positively correlated with continuous Gleason score (triglyceride: β = 0.710, OR = 2.89, 95% CI: 1.96–4.26, p < 0.001; saturated fatty acid/fatty acid: β = 0.645, OR = 2.57, 95% CI: 1.78–3.71, p < 0.001), and were significantly elevated in prostate cancer tissues compared with adjacent non-cancerous tissues.Conclusion This study confirms the importance of triglycerides and saturated fatty acid/fatty acid ratio in prostate cancer progression, which could be used for diagnosis and prognosis. Reducing their levels may help prevent prostate cancer.