Prostate Cancer Precursor Diseases

Prostate cancer remains the most common non-cutaneous malignancy in the Western world and is the second leading cause of cancer death in males, after lung cancer (Nelson et al., 2003; Papatsoris & Anagnostopoulos, 2009). Based on experimental and preclinical findings, novel anti-prostate cancer strategies have been developed (Papatsoris & Papavassiliou, 2001; Papatsoris et al., 2005). However, the causes of prostate cancer, prostatic carcinogenesis, and the histological changes preceding and leading to the initiation of prostate cancer have yet to be elucidated. Several research groups are trying to solve the puzzle of prostatic carcinogenesis by focusing within the morphological continuum between benign glands at one end and premalignant lesions and invasive disease at the other (Vis & Van Der Kwast, 2001). In parallel, clinicians are frequently confronted with morphological features on the prostate needle biopsy that, although negative for cancer, raise suspicion of concomitant malignancy.