title: Recent views of heavy metals as possible risk factors and potential preventive and therapeutic agents in prostate cancer.
abstract: Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in many industrialized countries. A role for androgens in prostate tumor progression is well recognized, while estrogens may cooperate with androgens in prostate carcinogenesis. The incidence of prostate cancer is highly variable in the different countries, suggesting an important role of environmental factors. Heavy metals are common environmental contaminants and some of them are confirmed or suspected human carcinogens. Some metals are endowed with estrogenic and/or androgenic activities and may play a role as cancer risk factors through this mechanism. Moreover, prostate cancer may present alterations in the intracellular balance of trace metals, such as zinc and copper, which are involved in several regulatory proteins. Herein, we review the possible role of environmental heavy metals and of metal-dyshomeostasis in prostate cancer development and promotion as well as the potential use of some metals in the prevention and therapy of prostate cancer.
authors: School of Human and Social Science, Motor Sciences, University "Kore" of Enna, Enna, Italy.
authors: Veronica
authors: V
authors: Vella
authors: Endocrinology, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors: Roberta
authors: R
authors: Malaguarnera
authors: Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy.
authors: Rosamaria
authors: R
authors: Lappano
authors: Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy.
authors: Marcello
authors: M
authors: Maggiolini
authors: Endocrinology, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Graecia of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy. Electronic address: belfiore@unicz.it.
authors: Antonino
authors: A
authors: Belfiore
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D063646:Carcinogenesis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019216:Metals, Heavy
keywords: Androgens; Metals; Prostate cancer; Signal transduction