The STING Signaling Pathway in Prostate Cancer: Mechanisms, Influencing Factors, and Therapeutic Strategies

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a common malignancy in men globally. The cGAS-STING pathway shows promise in its treatment as it can enhance anti-tumor immunity and promote immunogenic cell death. However, the tumor microenvironment, with factors like immunosuppressive cells and gene regulatory factors, limits the efficacy of STING pathway activation.

This review aims to systematically summarize the recent progress in targeting the cGAS-STING pathway for the treatment of prostate cancer.

We first introduce the core mechanisms of STING signaling, and then explore its specific role in the pathogenesis and progression of prostate cancer. We analyze the key factors in the TME that limit STING activation, such as immunosuppressive cells and epigenetic regulators. In addition, we summarize the current strategies targeting STING, including STING agonists, combination therapies with immune checkpoint inhibitors, and radiotherapy-based approaches.

Our analysis concludes that targeting the cGAS-STING pathway holds significant potential to overcome therapy resistance and improve outcomes in prostate cancer, although further research is needed to optimize its clinical application.