Molecular Imaging of Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer

摘要

Castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a lethal form of prostate cancer. In 2012,27,000 patients with CRPC are expected to die in the United States. Most patients die within 18 to 24 months of diagnosis as CRPC metastasizes readily to bone and soft tissue. Resistance to castration is the hallmark of progressive disease and changes in the androgen receptor (AR) are associated with triggering this lack of responsiveness. The AR axis remains functional in this advanced state by a variety of mechanisms, including mutation, overex-pression, and ligand-independent activation, among others. New drugs that target the AR-signaling axis are being developed and show promise for slowing progression of the disease. As better treatments become available, improved diagnostic-imaging biomarkers for detection and monitoring of treatment response and/or progression are sorely needed.