Periprostatic Adipose Tissue as a Contributor to Prostate Cancer Pathogenesis: A Narrative Review

Periprostatic adipose tissue (PPAT) contributes to the pathogenesis of prostate cancer. The purpose of this study was to review and summarize the literature on the role of PPAT in prostate cancer pathogenesis. Moreover, we evaluated the clinical implication of PPAT in patients with prostate cancer. We performed a scoping literature review of PubMed from January 2002 to November 2024. Search terms included "periprostatic adipose tissue", "adipokines", and "prostate cancer". Secondary search involved reference lists of eligible articles. The key criterion was to identify studies that included PPAT, adipokines, and their role in prostate cancer biology and clinical features. In total 225 publications were selected for inclusion in this review. The studies contained in publications allowed us to summarize the data on the pathogenesis of PPAT as a contributor to prostate cancer biology and its aggressiveness. The review also presents new research directions for PPAT as a new target for the treatment of prostate cancer. Based on the current review, it can be stated that PPAT plays an important role in prostate cancer pathogenesis. Moreover, PPAT seems to be a promising target point when it comes to finding new therapies in patients with more aggressive and/or advanced stages of prostate cancer.