Recent progress and perspectives on prostate cancer biomarkers

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Biomarker Discovery
• Urology

Background:

• Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is crucial for prostate cancer (PC) management but faces criticism for over-diagnosis and overtreatment of indolent disease.
• The 2012 United States Preventive Services Task Force recommendation against PSA screening sparked debate, highlighting the need for improved PC detection methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current landscape of prostate cancer biomarker research.
• To identify and discuss promising novel biomarkers for PC detection, diagnosis, and prognosis.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent investigations into PC biomarkers.
• Focus on non-invasive biomarkers including PSA isoforms, urinary PC biomarkers (e.g., PCA3, TMPRSS2-ERG), glycan-associated markers, and circulating tumor cells.

Main Results:

• While PSA remains a primary tool, its limitations necessitate the development of more specific and sensitive biomarkers.
• Several promising biomarkers, including PSA isoforms, urinary gene markers, and glycan profiles, are under investigation but require further validation.

Conclusions:

• There is a significant unmet need for advanced non-invasive biomarkers to accurately differentiate aggressive from indolent prostate cancer.
• Ongoing research into novel biomarkers holds promise for improving PC screening, diagnosis, and treatment guidance.