In recent years, multiple genes or their protein products have been linked to initiation and progression of prostate cancer. Such genes include TMPRSS2, ERG, PTEN, and MDM2. This chapter discusses the pathological roles as well as the potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications of these genes that are highly expressed in prostate cancer when compared to other cancer types. The presence of these genes and related defects are linked to growth, progression, metastasis, invasiveness and resistance in prostate cancers. While knowledge related to TMPRSS2, ERG, and PTEN have been accumulating in the last two decades, the prometastatic role of MDM2 has been emerging in the last few years and revealing important functions related to prostate cancer progression.
Part of the book: Prostate Cancer