title: Glucocorticoids and prostate cancer treatment: friend or foe?
abstract: Glucocorticoids have been used in the treatment of prostate cancer to slow disease progression, improve pain control and offset side effects of chemo- and hormonal therapy. However, they may also have the potential to drive prostate cancer growth via mutated androgen receptors or glucocorticoid receptors (GRs). In this review we examine historical and contemporary use of glucocorticoids in the treatment of prostate cancer, review potential mechanisms by which they may inhibit or drive prostate cancer growth, and describe potential means of defining their contribution to the biology of prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Montgomery
authors.forename: Heather H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Drechsler
authors.forename: Elahe A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Mostaghel
mesh_terms: D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D064129:Prostatic Neoplasms, Castration-Resistant / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid