Epithelial plasticity in prostate cancer: Principles and clinical perspectives

Rajdeep Das, Philip A. Gregory, Brett G. Hollier, Wayne D. Tilley, Luke A. Selth

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

21 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Over the past decade, the capacity of cancer cells to oscillate between epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes, termed epithelial plasticity (EP), has been demonstrated to play a critical role in metastasis. This phenomenon may be particularly important for prostate cancer (PC) progression, since recent studies have revealed interplay between EP and signaling by the androgen receptor (AR) oncoprotein. Moreover, EP appears to play a role in dictating the response to therapies for metastatic PC. This review will evaluate preclinical and clinical evidence for the relevance of EP in PC progression and consider the potential of targeting and measuring EP as a means to treat and manage lethal forms of the disease.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)643-651
Number of pages9
JournalTrends in Molecular Medicine
Volume20
Issue number11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Nov 2014
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Androgen deprivation therapy
  • Androgen receptor
  • Chemotherapy
  • Epithelial plasticity
  • Epithelial-mesenchymal transition
  • Mesenchymal-epithelial transition

Cite this