Table 2. Mean expression levels of the biomarkers in non-neoplastic peripheral zone tissue, primary prostate carcinomas and bone marrow metastases.

Location	Biomarker	Non-neoplastic	Primary tumour	Bone Marrow metastases	SD between patients	SD within patients	P-value (non-neoplastic versus tumour)	P-value (primary versus metastatic)
Epithelium	Shh*	2.8	7.9	8.2	1.7	2.1	<0.001	0.511
	SMO*	7.9	9.1		1.3	1.80	<0.001
	Ptch*	1.6	2.9	5.2	2.2	2	<0.001	<0.001
	Gli*	7.4	7	7.3	2.3	2	0.04	0.644
	ki67**	0.3	3.4		2.6	3.3	<0.001
	VEGF*	3.5	7.5		2.1	2.2	<0.001
Stroma	Shh*	1.5	1.2	2	0.8	0.7	0.04	0.04
	SMO*	6.7	4.1		1.8	1.9	<0.001
	Ptch*	8.4	7.2	4.7	1.5	1.5	<0.001	<0.001
	Glil*	5.8	4.2	4.9	2	2	<0.001	0.04
	VEGF*	3.5	2.4		1.3	1.4	<0.001
	CD31***	16	21		6	8	<0.001

^*11-point scale system.

^**Percentage of positive cells.

^***CD31 -positive vessels per core.

SD: standard deviation; VEGF: vascular endothelial growth factor.