Somatic DNA Methylation Changes and Prostatic Carcinogenesis.

Prostatic carcinogenesis proceeds via the acquisition of both genetic and epigenetic alterations. The epigenetic changes, principally in DNA methylation patterns and in chromatin structure, are equivalent to genetic changes, and often lead to defects in the functions of critical genes, which contribute to malignant cell behaviors. Epigenetic alterations also tend to appear at the earliest stages of prostate cancer development. As such, analysis of epigenetic genome changes has not only led to a new understanding of how prostate cancers likely arise, but has also provided new translational research opportunities, both for molecular biomarkers likely to aid in prostate cancer detection and diagnosis and for strategies to prevent and treat the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]