Molecular pathology of prostate cancer: diagnostic and prognostic value of major markers

Abstract

Prostate cancer is well-known to be a multifactorial disease and this explains the baffling complexity of its study. Novel advances in molecular medicine have permitted detection of considerable molecular changes underlying the development of prostate cancer. Unfortunately, emerging “pure scientific” findings have left far behind their clinical use and prostatic-specific antigen (PSA) still remains the only achievement in molecular pathology that has found wide clinical application. This review discusses the most significant and clinically relevant advances in molecular pathology with respect to prostate cancer.