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Understanding the lethal variant of prostate cancer: power of examining extremes

Ana Aparicio1, Christopher J Logothetis, Sankar N Maity

  • 1Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, David H. Koch Center for Applied Research of Genitourinary Cancers, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030-4009, USA.

Cancer Discovery
|May 16, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Small cell prostate carcinoma, a deadly cancer, shows high levels of aurora kinase A (AURKA) and MYCN. Researchers suggest AURKA is a promising therapeutic target for this aggressive prostate cancer subtype.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Small cell prostate carcinoma (SCPC) is an aggressive, lethal variant of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).
  • Limited therapeutic options exist for advanced prostate cancer, necessitating novel treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate molecular alterations in small cell prostate carcinoma.
  • To identify potential therapeutic targets for this aggressive prostate cancer subtype.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of gene expression and copy number alterations in SCPC samples.
  • Correlation of molecular findings with clinical data.

Main Results:

  • Overexpression and amplification of aurora kinase A (AURKA) were identified in SCPC.
  • Co-overexpression and amplification of the MYCN proto-oncogene were also observed in SCPC.
  • AURKA and MYCN alterations are significantly associated with the small cell histology in prostate cancer.

Conclusions:

  • Aurora kinase A (AURKA) is a potential therapeutic target for small cell prostate carcinoma.
  • Targeting AURKA may offer a novel treatment strategy for patients with this lethal prostate cancer variant.

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