Fig. 4

Survival according to combined mPITX3 and mPITX2 status. Kaplan-Meier analysis of BCR-free survival in prostate cancer patients stratified according to PITX3 and PITX2 DNA methylation status. Training cohort (n = 498, a): After a homogenous dropout within the first months after prostatectomy in all three groups, patients with low methylation values in PITX2 and PITX3 genes show the lowest number of BCR events (n = 182). Patients with high methylation in PITX2 and PITX3 genes present with the highest rate of BCR events (n = 67). Intermediate numbers of BCR events are observed in patients with low methylation in one PITX gene member and high methylation in the other PITX gene member (n = 169). Validation cohort (n = 300, b): Patients with low methylation values in PITX2 and PITX3 genes show the lowest number of BCR events (n = 136). Patients with high methylation in PITX2 and PITX3 genes present with the earliest BCR events (n = 32). Patients with low methylation in one PITX gene member and high methylation in the other PITX gene member (n = 82) show the highest number of BCR events, however, more protracted than patients with high methylation in both PITX genes