title: Prostate cancer stem cells.
abstract: Stem cells have long been implicated in prostate gland formation. The prostate undergoes regression after androgen deprivation and regeneration after testosterone replacement. Regenerative studies suggest that these cells are found in the proximal ducts and basal layer of the prostate. Many characteristics of prostate cancer indicate that it originates from stem cells. For example, the putative androgen receptor-negative (AR(-)) status of prostate stem cells renders them inherently insensitive to androgen blockade therapy. The androgen-regulated gene fusion TMPRSS2-ERG could be used to clarify both the cells of origin and the evolution of prostate cancer cells. In this review, we show that the hypothesis that distinct subtypes of cancer result from abnormalities within specific cell types-the stem cell theory of cancer-may instigate a major paradigm shift in cancer research and therapy. Ultimately, the stem cell theory of cancers will affect how we practice clinical oncology: our diagnosis, monitoring, and therapy of prostate and other cancers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, The University of Texas, MD, Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030-3721, USA. stu@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: Shi-Ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Sue-Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000378:metabolism; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D055153:Stem Cell Niche; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; C515553:TMPRSS2-ERG fusion protein, human