Aggressive variants of prostate cancer: underlying mechanisms of neuroendocrine transdifferentiation.

ABSTRACT: Prostate cancer is a hormone-driven disease and its tumor cell growth highly relies on increased androgen receptor (AR) signaling. Therefore, targeted therapy directed against androgen synthesis or AR activation is broadly used and continually improved. However, a subset of patients eventually progresses to castration-resistant disease. To date, various mechanisms of resistance have been identified including the development of AR-independent aggressive variant prostate cancer based on neuroendocrine transdifferentiation (NED). Here, we review the highly complex processes contributing to NED. Genetic, epigenetic, transcriptional aberrations and posttranscriptional modifications are highlighted and the potential interplay of the different factors is discussed. Background Aggressive variant p

SUBMITTER: Merkens L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8808994 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature