Biomarkers of Prostate Cancer – Screening, Diagnosis and Prognosis

Abstract

Nowadays, cancer has a major impact on society worldwide. In the India, number is increasing every year with lung, breast, colorectal/rectum, prostate, and stomach cancers having the highest number of incidences on a global scale. Prostate cancer has been observed to account for more than half of the total number of these cancer cases. Prostate cancer incidence increases steeply with age. Overall, cancer and the care of those who are diagnosed with cancer is a national expenditure costing high. The risk factors for prostate cancer include age, family history, ethnicity, diet, alcohol and smoking, high body weight and physical inactivity, medications, medical procedures, infections, endogenous hormones, and diabetes mellitus. Therefore, putting these together will provide a biological indicator of initiation, progression or spread or response to drug therapy regarding prostate cancer called prostate cancer biomarker. These biomarkers are important due to the ease of use as their levels can be elevated or depressed in response to cancer. In this chapter, we will discuss the biomarker that is helpful in screening, diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer.