[The development of therapeutics targeting oxidative stress in prostate cancer]

Oxidative stress is caused by increased reactive-oxygen species (ROS) due to augmented ROS production and impaired anti-oxidative capacity. Recently, oxidative stress has been revealed to promote castration resistance via androgen receptor(AR)-dependent pathway such as AR overexpression, AR cofactor, and AR post-translational modification as well as AR-independent pathway, leading to the emergence of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Therefore, antioxidants therapy using natural and chemical ROS scavengers and inhibitors of ROS production seems to be a promising therapy for CRPC as well as preventing castration resistance. However, at present, the application to therapeutics is limited. Therefore, further research on oxidative stress in prostate cancer, as well as on the development for clinical application would be needed.