Molecular mechanisms in prostate cancer. A review.
Genetic studies have provided remarkable clues to the causes of prostate cancer (PCa). For example, in addition to the expected role of androgens in facilitating the development of PCa, the possibility that infections might lead to prostate cancer has been raised with the identification of RNASEL and MSR1 as familial prostate cancer genes; that insight will profoundly affect future studies and may ultimately lead to new approaches to the prevention of prostate cancer. The identification of key molecular alterations in prostate cancer cells implicates carcinogen defenses, including GSTP1, growth factor signaling pathways (such as NKX3.1, PTEN and p27) and androgens as critical determinants of the phenotype of PCa cells and defines specific targets for detection, diagnosis and treatment of PCa.
Mazzucchelli
Roberta
R
Section of Pathological Anatomy and Histopathology, School of Medicine, Polytechnic University of the Marche Region, Azienda Ospedaliera Umberto Io, I-60020 Torrette, Ancona, Italy. rmaz@libero.it
Barbisan
Francesca
F
Tarquini
Lucia M
LM
Galosi
Andrea B
AB
Stramazzotti
Daniela
D
D000818:Animals; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004032:Diet; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000378:metabolism
D011944:Receptors, Androgen