The expression of osteoclastogenesis-associated factors and osteoblast response to osteolytic prostate cancer cells.

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) has a propensity to metastasize to bone. Tumor cells replace bone marrow and can elicit an osteoblastic, osteolytic, or mixed bone response. Our objective was to elucidate the mechanisms and key factors involved in promoting osteoclastogenesis in PCa bone metastasis.

Metastases of prostate cancer express estrogen receptor-beta.

Objectives: To examine estrogen receptor-beta (ERbeta) expression in prostate cancer (CaP) metastases, thereby providing a basis for conducting estrogen therapy studies in patients with metastatic CaP. Advanced androgen-independent CaP is a serious health problem with no effective treatment at present. Estrogens have been reported to inhibit the growth of CaP cells in androgen-free environments.