Inherited genotype and prostate cancer outcomes.

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed noncutaneous tumor in North American men and confers significant morbidity and mortality to the general population. The use of screening tools to detect prostate cancer at an early stage may have beneficial effects on an individual's prognosis. However, the intense use of these screening modalities also detects tumors that may have a relatively benign course and for which intensive treatment is not necessary. There is a large body of research that evaluated biochemical, physiological, or somatic genetic measures in relation to prostate cancer progression or prognosis. Environmental exposures may also affect these outcomes. In contrast, inherited markers of genetic susceptibility to prostate cancer have largely been used to predict occurrence of disease rather than disease outcome. The use of inherited genetic markers to evaluate prostate cancer outcome could enhance our ability to identify those men who are more likely to develop clinically significant prostate cancer and to intervene in these men to reduce morbidity and mortality resulting from prostate cancer.