The emerging role of the androgen receptor in bladder cancer
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1
Veterans Affairs‐Northern California Health Care System
, Mather, California, USA
2 Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology
3 Biochemistry , Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Graduate Group and Biotechnology Program, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Tupper Hall 3147, UC Davis, Davis, California 95616, USA
- Correspondence should be addressed to M Mudryj or A Lombard; Emails: mmudryj{at}ucdavis.edu or aplombard{at}ucdavis.edu
Abstract
Men are three to four times more likely to get bladder cancer than women. The gender disparity characterizing bladder cancer diagnoses has been investigated. One hypothesis is that androgen receptor (AR) signaling is involved in the etiology and progression of this disease. Although bladder cancer is not typically described as an endocrine-related malignancy, it has become increasingly clear that AR signaling plays a role in bladder tumors. This review summarizes current findings regarding the role of the AR in bladder cancer. We discuss work demonstrating AR expression in bladder cancer and its role in promoting formation and progression of tumors. Additionally, we discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting the AR in this disease.
- Received 23 July 2015
- Accepted 30 July 2015
- Made available online as an Accepted Preprint 30 July 2015
- © 2015 Society for Endocrinology
