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Treating prostate cancer: a rationale for targeting local oestrogens

Nature Reviews Cancer volume 7, pages 621–627 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related death in men, and benign prostatic hyperplasia is the most common benign condition known to occur in ageing men. Oestrogen has been implicated in the development of prostate cancer, and offers a promising new avenue for treatment. Despite this, the role of oestrogens in the prostate is complex. This Perspective presents a rationale for a targeted approach for the treatment of prostate disease through the use of selective oestrogen-receptor modulators in conjunction with contemporary androgen-ablation therapy.

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Figure 1: Common and divergent mechanisms for the development of human prostate cancer and/or BPH.
Figure 2: The role of androgens and oestrogens in the development of BPH and prostate cancer.
Figure 3: The potential for a positive-feedback cycle between aromatase, oestrogens and inflammation leading to prostate cancer.
Figure 4: A loss of local ERβ activation directly results in prostatic hyperplasia.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank S. McPherson, R. Santen and F. Gardiner for their critical review of this article.

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  1. Stuart J. Ellem and Gail P. Risbridger are at the Centre for Urological Research, Monash Institute of Medical Research, Monash University, 27–31 Wright Street, Clayton, Victoria, 3168, Australia.,

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Ellem, S., Risbridger, G. Treating prostate cancer: a rationale for targeting local oestrogens. Nat Rev Cancer 7, 621–627 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrc2174

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