Neuroendocrine differentiation in prostatic carcinoma: an update.

Background: Neuroendocrine differentiation in prostatic carcinoma may be related to the growth and prognosis of prostate cancer, especially androgen-insensitive tumors.

Materials and methods: This update reviews new investigations relating to neuroendocrine differentiation of prostatic carcinoma building on two previous review articles. All relevant publications are systematically reviewed.

Results: New developments include the detection of bombesin, calcitonin and serotonin receptors, as well as a clearer delineation of the role that neuroendocrine products play in the growth, invasiveness, and motility of prostate cancer. Prognostic studies are still somewhat contradictory, but those studies and studies related to serum/plasma levels of neuroendocrine products in prostate cancer suggest that neuroendocrine differentiation may be more important in androgen-independent tumors and metastatic tumors than in hormone-sensitive and locally recurrent tumors. New cell line xenograft and transgenic mouse models for neuroendocrine prostatic carcinoma are described and will provide the basis for further investigations into the role played by neuroendocrine differentiation in prostatic carcinoma.

Conclusions: Neuroendocrine differentiation in prostatic carcinoma is of great potential significance but needs to be better defined before its significance can be accurately assessed.