demographics

• The most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia.
• Prostate cancer makes up 22% of all new male cancer diagnoses
• Risk of prostate cancer increases rapidly after 50 years of age, however aggressiveness of cancer decreases with age.

Aetiology: Chronic inflammation drives prostate carcinogenesis and neoplastic progression.

• Hereditary or Sporadic

Pathophysiology

Genetic mutations, environmental factors and inflammation all play important roles in the development and progression of prostate cancer.

• Genetic mutations can be inherited or occur sporadically. Important genes in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer include: ELAC2, RNASEL, MSR1, NSB1, p53, CHEK2, BCL2 and ERK5.
• Inflammation of the prostate results in the release of cytokines that are functionally dictating a constitutively active stroma, promoting tumour growth and metastasis. Inflammation correlates with increased development of risk factor lesions and proliferative inflammatory atrophy.
• Persistently high levels of androgens, specifically testosterone, can promote tumour growth through interaction with androgen receptors on the prostate.

Risk Factors

• Increasing age (>50)
• Family history of prostate, breast or ovarian cancer
• BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations