E-cadherin and associated molecules in the invasion and progression of prostate cancer.

Prostatic carcinoma is the most common type of male cancer found in the Western world and its distant metastasis becomes a life threatening event in tumour bearing patients. However, the biology of prostate cancer and metastasis is poorly understood. We review the progress made in the last decade on the molecular and cellular biology of cell-cell adhesion molecules in the invasion and progression of prostate cancer, with emphasis being placed on E-cadherin and its associated molecules.