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The role of glucocorticoid receptor in prostate cancer progression: from bench to bedside

  • Urology - Review
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Abstract

Glucocorticoids are a common class of adjuvant drugs for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) combined with antitumour or antiandrogen agents. Glucocorticoids are administered clinically because they ameliorate toxic side effects and have inhibitory effects on adrenal androgen production, acting as a pituitary suppressant. However, their effects on prostate cancer cells especially the castration resistance prostate cancer cells are poorly defined. Glucocorticoids exert effects depend to a great extent on glucocorticoid receptor. In addition to a number of glucocorticoid receptor isoforms determined, it is found that the actions of glucocorticoids through GRα are influenced by other isoforms, such as GRβ and GRγ. Recently, studies found GR confers resistance to androgen deprivation therapy, and various glucocorticoids exert distinct efficacy in CRPC. In this review, we summarized the mechanisms of glucocorticoids and its clinical appliances on the basis of present evidence.

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Authors’ contributions

All authors were involved in (I) conception and design; (II) administrative support; (III) provision of study materials or patients; (IV) data analysis and interpretation; (V) manuscript writing; and (VI) final approval of manuscript. Jieping Hu collected and assembled the data.

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  1. Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China

    Jieping Hu & Qingke Chen

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Hu, J., Chen, Q. The role of glucocorticoid receptor in prostate cancer progression: from bench to bedside. Int Urol Nephrol 49, 369–380 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-016-1476-8

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