Journal of Genetics and DNA Research

Identification of DNA methylation biomarkers predicting prostate cancer aggressiveness

Abstract

Yuyan Han

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and second leading cause for men in the United States. The majority of prostate cancer (PCa) detected in the era of routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening are indolent and pose little or no threat to the health or longevity of the patients. However, about 90% of men with localized PCa receive aggressive treatment that often causes significant morbidity. This clinical dilemma is largely attributed to the fact that clinical variables, such as Gleason Score (GS), PSA level, and tumor stage, cannot accurately predict aggressive from indolent diseases at diagnosis. It is imperative to find biomarkers that can augment clinical variables and improve risk stratification of PCa patients.