As much more attention was drawn to neuroendocrine differentiation NED )of prostate cancer ( Pca ), great progress has been made in understanding of the development and progression of Pca. NE cells may provide an intriguing link between NED and tumour progression in Pca, because NE cells lack androgen receptor and are likely to drive the development of androgen independence. It is conceivable that hormonal therapy for advanced prostate cancer will not eliminate NE cancer cells. Instead,these cells may be enriched after the therapy and they may establish paracrine networks to stimulate androgen-independent proliferation of Pca,leading to tumor progression. Here is to make a review on the known functions of the NE cells in Pca, including molecular pathways involved in NED as well as stimulation of cancer proliferation and invasion, and speculate on the future of treatment and research in this area.%随着越来越多的目光投向前列腺癌的神经内分泌分化,人们在认识前列腺癌的发生和进展方面取得了较大的进步.由于神经内分泌细胞缺乏雄激素受体并可能导致前列腺癌的雄激素非依赖性的发生,使之与肿瘤的进展密切相关.晚期前列腺癌激素治疗主要是通过抑制雄激素的产生并阻断其受体的功能,但这并不能减少神经内分泌分化的癌细胞.相反,这些癌细胞可能通过旁分泌网络刺激前列腺癌雄激素非依赖性分化的发生,使其更多地增殖,从而导致肿瘤的进展.现回顾神经内分泌细胞在前列腺癌中的作用,包括可能的分子机制及其与前列腺癌恶性演进的关系,同时展望前列腺癌在该领域治疗和研究.
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