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Diagnostic and prognostic markers for human prostate cancer
Author(s) -
Gao Xiang,
Porter Arthur T.,
Grig David J.,
Edson Pontes J.,
Honn Kenneth V.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
the prostate
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.295
H-Index - 123
eISSN - 1097-0045
pISSN - 0270-4137
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0045(19970601)31:4<264::aid-pros8>3.0.co;2-k
Subject(s) - medicine , prostate cancer , oncology , prostate , cancer , stage (stratigraphy) , disease , prostate specific antigen , population , pathology , biology , paleontology , environmental health
Abstract BACKGROUND The incidence and mortality of prostate cancer are increasing at alarming rates, partially due to an aging population. Early detection of prostate cancer, using clinically sensitive procedures and/or tumor markers (e.g., prostate‐specific antigen [PSA]), is of prime importance. However, the choice of therapeutic interventions for prostate cancer at the time of diagnosis is largely dependent on clinical and pathologic staging and prediction of the degree of aggressiveness of the disease. Clinically applicable prognostic markers are urgently needed to assist in the selection of optimal therapy. METHODS Literature review of the potential diagnostic and prognostic markers for human prostate cancer. RESULTS Well‐established tissue prognostic indicators, including histologic grade, margin positivity, pathologic stage, intraglandular tumor extent, and DNA ploidy, are not reviewed in this paper. Recently, a number of novel markers have been identified. In this paper, we begin with a discussion of a number of well‐established as well as investigational diagnostic markers and then focus on evaluation of prognostic markers. Diagnostic markers that have prognostic value and investigational prognostic markers are also discussed. CONCLUSIONS Currently, only PSA is utilized for early diagnosis and monitoring of prostate cancer. A number of potential prognostic markers warrant further investigation. Multimarker analysis is implicated. Prostate 31:264–281, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.