Hypoxia in prostate cancer

Abstract

Most human solid tumours contain areas which are less oxygenated than normal tissues. Hypoxia increases resistance to radiotherapy, surgery and chemotherapy, and directly alters the function of tumour cells, stimulating them to de-differentiate and to release angiogenic factors with a view to increasing the blood and oxygen supply. Tumour hypoxia promotes malignant progression and metastasis formation. HIF-1 is a heterodimeric transcription factor composed of regulated HIF-1α and constitutively expressed HIF-1β. Tumour-associated activation of HIF-1α seems to be primarily, however the result of adaptation to oxygen shortage. The presence of the HIF-1α subunit overexpression has been confirmed in many tumours, in prostate cancer, among others; the role it plays in its progression is yet to be explained. Numerous studies strongly emphasize the importance of evaluating the status of the HIF-1α transcription factor in predicting the clinical and biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer and its resistance to castration.