AUTHOR=Phin Sopheap , Moore Mathew , Cotter Philip D.

TITLE=Genomic Rearrangements of PTEN in Prostate Cancer

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=3

YEAR=2013

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2013.00240

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2013.00240

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=<p>The phosphatase and tensin homolog gene (<italic>PTEN</italic>) on chromosome 10q23.3 is a negative regulator of the PIK3/Akt survival pathway and is the most frequently deleted tumor suppressor gene in prostate cancer. Monoallelic loss of <italic>PTEN</italic> is present in up to 60% of localized prostate cancers and complete loss of <italic>PTEN</italic> in prostate cancer is linked to metastasis and androgen-independent progression. Studies on the genomic status of <italic>PTEN</italic> in prostate cancer initially used a two-color fluorescence <italic>in situ</italic> hybridization (FISH) assay for <italic>PTEN</italic> copy number detection in formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue preparations. More recently, a four-color FISH assay containing two additional control probes flanking the <italic>PTEN</italic> locus with a lower false-positive rate was reported. Combined with the detection of other critical genomic biomarkers for prostate cancer such as <italic>ERG</italic>, <italic>androgen receptor</italic>, and <italic>MYC</italic>, the evaluation of <italic>PTEN</italic> genomic status has proven to be invaluable for patient stratification and management. Although less frequent than allelic deletions, point mutations in the gene and epigenetic silencing are also known to contribute to loss of PTEN function, and ultimately to prostate cancer initiation. Overall, it is clear that PTEN is a powerful biomarker for prostate cancer. Used as a companion diagnostic for emerging therapeutic drugs, FISH analysis of <italic>PTEN</italic> is promisingly moving human prostate cancer closer to more effective cancer management and therapies.</p>