Andrew P. Mazar

Prostate Cancer: Models for Developing Novel Therapeutic Approaches

Carcinoma of the prostate is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy among North American males. Currently it is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and is the second leading cause of cancer mortality following lung cancer (1–3). Recently, increases in the number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer has been attributed to an increase in the awareness of the disease as well as to better improvements in screening and detection. However, despite this increase in men diagnosed with prostate cancer, early detection and improved treatment modalities for the disease have kept the mortality rate unchanged. There are numerous factors associated with an increased risk of developing prostate cancer although age remains the most prominent risk factor (3–4). Autopsies carried out on deceased males have detected prostate cancer in 50% of men in their 50s with the number jumping to >70% in men over the age of 80 (2). In addition to age, other factors that may contribute to the pathobiology of prostate cancer include hormones, growth factors, diet, vitamins, dietary supplements, environmental factors and viruses (2, 4–15).