Oxidative stress and prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in developed countries, affecting mainly older men. Increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production or impaired antioxidant defenses elevate intracellular levels of ROS and cause oxidative damage to various cellular components, including nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids, as well as activation of intracellular proto-oncogenic signaling. Through these processes, ROS is involved in a wide range of intracellular physiological and pathological phenomena including cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, antiapoptosis mechanisms, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis, resulting in malignant transformation and cancer progression as well as treatment resistance. Aging, race, and family history are well-known risk factors for prostate cancer, while possible risk factors include androgens, inflammation, diet, and lifestyle. These definitive and potential risk factors are associated with oxidative stress. In this chapter, I summarize findings regarding the functional links between oxidative stress and prostate cancer.