title: Considering race and the potential for ERG expression as a biomarker for prostate cancer.
abstract: Genomic rearrangement and overexpression of theERGoncogene (also known as v-ets avian erythroblastosis virusE26oncogene homolog) is estimated to occur at a rate of 40-50% in prostate cancer. Early evidence suggests that ERG overexpression may be associated with disease progression, and the utilization of ERG levels as a biomarker for prostate cancer is being strongly considered. However, the evidence is incomplete because it relies on studies that primarily focused on men of European ancestry, giving little consideration to African-American men even though African-American men bear a greater disease burden in the form of significantly greater incidence and worse outcomes. In this perspective article we bring to light the issue that the potential use of ERG expression as a biomarker is yet to be solidly established and may have limited utility or varied applicably for African-American men as compared with European-American men.
authors.affiliation: Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, 4100 John R., Detroit, MI 48201, USA ; Department of Urology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4201 St. Antoine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
authors.forename: Isaac J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.affiliation: Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, 4100 John R., Detroit, MI 48201, USA ; Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4100 John R., Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dyson
authors.affiliation: Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, 4100 John R., Detroit, MI 48201, USA ; Department of Urology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4201 St. Antoine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
authors.forename: Sreenivasa R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Chinni
authors.affiliation: Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, 4100 John R., Detroit, MI 48201, USA ; Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4100 John R., Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
authors.forename: Aliccia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bollig-Fischer
keywords: African–American; ERG; biomarker; prostate cancer