title: Molecular oncogenesis of prostate adenocarcinoma: role of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2/neu).
abstract: The potential mechanisms involving the genesis and growth of androgen-independent prostate cancer include super-expression of the androgen receptor (AR), in an attempt to compensate for the low androgenic plasma levels and mutations of this specific receptor, which could determine resistance to anti-androgenic therapy. However, most advanced prostate tumors have no mutations or amplifications of the AR, suggesting a potential role of non-androgenic growth factors, including epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor alpha, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) and fibroblast growth factor. More specifically, these factors, and their receptors like EGFR (HER-1) and HER-2/neu, through paracrine and autocrine mechanisms, may contribute to the proliferation and growth of prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Urologic Oncology Division, Department of Urology ABC Medical School (FMABC), Santo André, Brazil. aryserpa@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Ary Serpa
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tobias-Machado
authors.forename: Marcelo Langer
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Wroclawski
authors.forename: Fernando Luiz Affonso
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.forename: Antonio Carlos Lima
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Pompeo
authors.forename: Auro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Giglio
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human