BASIC SCIENCE ASPECTS OF PROSTATE-CANCER

Prostate cancer carries significant morbidity and mortality, but its o utcome is difficult to predict in the individual. Androgen ablation de lays progression in men, but hormone resistance soon develops and much basic science research has focused on how prostate cancer 'escapes' h ormonal control. Stem cell models of prostate development and homeosta sis have been proposed, but have not yet been fully characterized. Som e androgen-regulated signalling pathways and abnormalities that affect them have been defined recently. It is apparent that locally produced growth factors, often regulated by androgens, exert an effect both ph ysiologically and pathologically and these too will be discussed.