Heterogeneity of genetic alterations in prostate cancer: evidence of the complex nature of the disease

Citation
V. Nwosu et al., Heterogeneity of genetic alterations in prostate cancer: evidence of the complex nature of the disease, HUM MOL GEN, 10(20), 2001, pp. 2313-2318
Citations number
78
Categorie Soggetti
Molecular Biology & Genetics
Journal title
HUMAN MOLECULAR GENETICS
ISSN journal
09646906 → ACNP
Volume
10
Issue
20
Year of publication
2001
Pages
2313 - 2318
Database
ISI
SICI code
0964-6906(20011001)10:20<2313:HOGAIP>2.0.ZU;2-O
Abstract
Prostate cancer is a complex, multifactorial disease with genetic and envir onmental factors involved in its etiology. The search for genetic determina nts involved in the disease has proven to be challenging, in part because s uch complex diseases are often not amenable to characterization by linkage analysis and positional cloning as is the case for diseases with simple Men delian genetic inheritance. Prostate cancer susceptibility loci that have b een reported so far include HPC1 (1q24-q25), PCAP (1q42-q43), HPCX (Xq27-q2 8), CAPB (1p36), HPC20 (20q13), HPC2/ELAC2 (17p11) and 16q23. Prostate canc er aggressiveness loci have also been reported (5q31-q33, 7q32 and 19q12). Further complicating the process is the existence of polymorphisms in sever al genes associated with prostate cancer including, AR, PSA, SRD5A2, VDR an d CYP isoforms. These polymorphisms, however, are not thought to be highly penetrant alleles in families at high risk for prostate cancer. It is clear that prostate cancer etiology involves several genetic loci with no major gene accounting for a large proportion of susceptibility to the disease.