Biomarkers of Outcome in Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer Treated With Radiotherapy

Prostate cancer represents one of the most prevalent malignancies in the world. Although subsets of prostate cancer are aggressive and can metastasize, it is also evident that most patients harbor indolent disease. Although current risk-stratification approaches use both clinical and pathologic factors, it is clear that biomarkers can be used to improve on these approaches. In this article, we review the currently published literature on prostate cancer molecular biomarkers, primarily in the context of radiation therapy, focusing on those found in serum, plasma, urine, and within the tumor biopsy itself. We highlight the potential use and limitations of these biomarkers and present possible future directions for biomarker investigation.