Recent views of heavy metals as possible risk factors and potential preventive and therapeutic agents in prostate cancer.

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in many industrialized countries. A role for androgens in prostate tumor progression is well recognized, while estrogens may cooperate with androgens in prostate carcinogenesis. The incidence of prostate cancer is highly variable in the different countries, suggesting an important role of environmental factors. Heavy metals are common environmental contaminants and some of them are confirmed or suspected human carcinogens. Some metals are endowed with estrogenic and/or androgenic activities and may play a role as cancer risk factors through this mechanism. Moreover, prostate cancer may present alterations in the intracellular balance of trace metals, such as zinc and copper, which are involved in several regulatory proteins. Herein, we review the possible role of environmental heavy metals and of metal-dyshomeostasis in prostate cancer development and promotion as well as the potential use of some metals in the prevention and therapy of prostate cancer.

• Authors: Veronica Vella, Roberta Malaguarnera, Rosamaria Lappano, Marcello Maggiolini, Antonino Belfiore
• Journal: Molecular and cellular endocrinology (Mol Cell Endocrinol) Vol. 457 Pg. 57-72 (Dec 05 2017) ISSN: 1872-8057 [Electronic] Ireland
• PMID: 27773847 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Metals, Heavy

Topics

• Animals
• Antineoplastic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Carcinogenesis (pathology)
• Humans
• Male
• Metals, Heavy (therapeutic use, toxicity)
• Models, Biological
• Prostatic Neoplasms (chemically induced, drug therapy, epidemiology)
• Risk Factors