NEUROENDOCRINE DIFFERENTIATION IN PROSTATIC-CARCINOMA - AN UPDATE

BACKGROUND. Neuroendocrine differentiation in prostatic carcinoma may be related to the growth and prognosis of prostate cancer, especially androgen-insensitive tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS. This update review s new investigations relating to neuro-endocrine differentiation of pr ostatic carcinoma building on two previous review articles. All releva nt publications are systematically reviewed. RESULTS. New developments include the detection of bombesin, calcitonin;nd serotonin receptors, as well as a clearer delineation of the role that neuroendocrine prod ucts play in the growth, invasiveness, and motility of prostate cancer . Prognostic studies are still somewhat contradictory, but those studi es and studies related to serum/plasma levels of neuruendocrine produc ts in prostate cancer suggest that neuroendocrine differentiation may be more important in androgen-independent tumors and metastatic tumors than in hormone-sensitive and locally recurrent tumors. New cell line xenograft and transgenic mouse models for neuroendocrine prostatic ca rcinoma are described and will provide the basis for further investiga tions into the role played by neuroendocrine differentiation in prosta tic carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS. Neuroendocrine differentiation in prostati c carcinoma is of great potential significance but needs to be better defined before its significance can be accurately assessed. Prostate S upplement 8:74-79, 1998. (C) 1998 WiIey-Liss, Inc.