Prostate cancer progression and treatment relapse is associated with changes in the androgen receptor axis, and analysis of alternations of androgen receptor signaling is valuable for prognostics and treatment optimization. The profile of androgen receptor axis is currently obtained from biopsy specimens, which are not always easy to obtain. Moreover, the information acquired only provides a snapshot of the tumor biology, with strict spatial and temporal limitations. On the other hand, circulation is easily accessible source of both circulating tumor cells and circulating tumor DNA, which can be sampled at numerous time points. This Review will explore the potential use of androgen receptor axis alternations detectable in the blood in therapeutic decision-making and precision medicine for advancing metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.
Molecular and cellular endocrinology. 2017 Sep 04 [Epub ahead of print]
S Prekovic, T Van den Broeck, L Moris, E Smeets, F Claessens, S Joniau, C Helsen, G Attard
Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Oncogenomics, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: ., Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Urology, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, Leuven 3000, Belgium., Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium., Department of Urology, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, Leuven 3000, Belgium., The Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, UK; Royal Marsden National Health Service Foundation Trust, London SM2 5PT, UK.