title: Environmental, genetic, and molecular features of prostate cancer.
abstract: Prostate cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world and the third leading cause of cancer in men. The increase in the understanding of prostate carcinogenesis over the past 15 years has helped to define crucial steps in the natural history of the disease, namely initiation and progression to androgen independence. This heterogeneous disease encompasses a range of environmental and familial factors, which provides strong support for the use of chemopreventive strategies. Most patients with advanced prostate cancer are treated with androgen-deprivation therapy, which leads to a striking regression of androgen-responsive cancer cells. A transition from an androgen-responsive to an androgen-unresponsive stage is seen during the clinical course in almost all patients with prostate cancer. This transition also signals a substantial worsening of prognosis. Here, we review the most important findings in prostate carcinogenesis and the molecular anomalies associated with the androgen-refractory stage.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire UPRES EA 27-10, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France. deutsch@igr.fr
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Deutsch
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maggiorella
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eschwege
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bourhis
authors.forename: Jean Charles
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Soria
authors.forename: Bassam
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Abdulkarim
mesh_terms: D004781:Environmental Exposure; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*