Abstract: The invention relates to methods for determining metastatic potential of tumors and to methods and compositions for inhibiting or preventing metastasis of cancers. In one aspect, the invention provides a method to determine metastatic potential of tumors, particularly prostatic tumors. In this regard the invention relates to determining protein or mRNA of effectors of arachadonic acid release to gauge metastatic potential, particularly uteroglobin protein or mRNA to determine metastatic potential of prostatic tumors.The invention also relates to methods and compositions that prevent or inhibit metastasis of cancers. In this regard, the invention particularly relates to methods and compositions that inhibit arachidonic acid, those that inhibit phospholipase A.sub.2. More particularly in this regard, the invention relates to uteroglobin or muteins, peptide analogs or mimetics of uteroglobin and lipocortins or muteins, peptide analogs, or mimetics of lipocortins that inhibit metastasis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions that prevent or inhibit metastases of cancers of epithelial cell origin, especially human prostate cancers. A particular aspect of the invention relates to methods and compositions that inhibit arachidonic acid release in cells of these cancers and inhibit or prevent metastasis. In one aspect in this regard, the invention particularly relates to methods and compositions that inhibit phospholipase A.sub.2 that mediates arachidonic acid release in the cancer cells. In a further aspect, the invention relates to methods and compositions wherein uteroglobin, uteroglobin muteins, peptide analogs of uteroglobins, lipocortins, lipocortin muteins and peptide analogs of lipocortins inhibit arachidonic acid release by cancer cells. In this regard, the invention relates especially to uteroglobins, particularly human uteroglobins.