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Genetic susceptibility to prostate cancer: a review

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Abstract

A genetic component in prostate cancer has been recognized since decades. Through numerous epidemiological and molecular biological studies, much evidence has accumulated in favor of a significant but heterogeneous hereditary component in prostate cancer (PCa) susceptibility. Since the mapping of a high-penetrant PCa susceptibility locus at 1q24–25, much attention has been paid to the identification of PCa susceptibility genes. So far, seven loci have been mapped, and at three of these loci, genes have been cloned and mutations identified. Yet their role in hereditary and sporadic disease is still under debate and probably very modest. Although research on hereditary prostate cancer has improved our knowledge of the genetic etiology of the disease, still a lot of questions remain unanswered. Here, we aim to review the genetic epidemiological and molecular biological research in the field of hereditary prostate cancer and the problems that are encountered with this research.

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  1. Department of Epidemiology and Urology (252 EPIB), University Medical Centre Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9101, NL-6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Bas A. J. Verhage

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Department of Urology, University Medical Centre, St. Radboud, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Lambertus A. L. M. Kiemeney

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Verhage, B.A.J., Kiemeney, L.A.L.M. Genetic susceptibility to prostate cancer: a review. Familial Cancer 2, 57–67 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023299520828

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