Association of Prostate Cancer Risk Variants with TMPRSS2:ERG Status: Evidence for Distinct Molecular Subtypes

摘要

Background: Numerous genetic variants have been confirmed as prostate cancer risk factors. These variants may confer susceptibility to the development of specific molecular alterations during tumor initiation and progression. The TMPRSS2:ERG gene fusion occurs in roughly 50% of prostate cancers. Genetic risk variants may influence the development of this fusion. We sought to determine whether prostate cancer risk variants are differentially associated with TMPRSS2: ERG fusion-positive and negative cancer.