[Polymorphisms of hormone-related genes and prostate cancer risk in Japan].

Accumulation of information about genetics and epigenetics has accelerated research investigating the inherent individual variation in cancer susceptibility. Gene polymorphisms, in particular single nucleotide polymorphisms, are being evaluated for their role in various cancers including prostate cancer. Especially, polymorphisms of hormone-related genes such as steroid-hormone receptors in prostate cancer have been recently focused and used in molecular epidemiology. In this article, we present data from the molecular epidemiology about Japanese prostate cancer using polymorphisms of hormone-related genes and offer suggestions for further research.