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Gene fusion may be behind prostate cancer, not androgen receptorsThe scientific team concluded that the underlying problem in prostate cancer is the presence of a gene fusion, not the androgen receptor. In many contexts, androgen signaling is actually a good thing, but the presence of the gene fusion blocks androgen receptor signaling, which alters normal prostate cell development.. According to study author Dr. Arul Chinnaiyan, director of the Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, while current treatments for advanced prostate cancer are focused on hormone deprivation and are quite effective, at least initially, future therapies need to be developed that target the prostate cancer gene fusion. Experts need to begin to think about targeting prostate cancer by targeting the gene fusion, and not confining our approaches to androgen receptors. If they are going to find a more durable therapy, they need to get at the gene fusion. The authors note that typical prostate cancer treatments focus on drugs that attempt to slow production of androgen, the male hormone that regulates healthy prostate growth. However, such efforts usually become less effective over time as cancer cell resistance mounts, making recurrent cancer much less amenable to similar treatments. But having earlier identified a so-called "on switch" for prostate cancer development in the form of the initial fusion of a prostate gene with a cancer-causing gene, Chinnaiyan and colleagues now have launched a new investigation into what happens post-fusion. By using high-tech genetic mapping techniques, the research team found that once fusion takes place, androgen receptors get blocked, in turn cutting off normal prostate cell growth while permitting cancer to spread. Chinnaiyan and his colleagues report their findings in the May 18 issue of Cancer Cell. NOTE: Issues on this site regarding prostate cancer and treatment options, are provided for information only, and are not meant to substitute for the advice of your own physician or other medical professional. Prostate-Report.org does not endorse any specific product, service or treatment. |
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