Glucocorticoids and prostate cancer treatment: friend or foe?

Glucocorticoids have been used in the treatment of prostate cancer to slow disease progression, improve pain control and offset side effects of chemo- and hormonal therapy. However, they may also have the potential to drive prostate cancer growth via mutated androgen receptors or glucocorticoid receptors (GRs). In this review we examine historical and contemporary use of glucocorticoids in the treatment of prostate cancer, review potential mechanisms by which they may inhibit or drive prostate cancer growth, and describe potential means of defining their contribution to the biology of prostate cancer.

• Publication year

  2014

• Venue

  Asian Journal of Andrology

• Publication date

  2014-03-07

• Fields of study

  Medicine

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.4103/1008-682X.125392PMID 24625881PMCID 4023359
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Aflibercept versus placebo in combination with docetaxel and prednisone for treatment of men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (VENICE): a phase 3, double-blind randomised trial.

  2013cited by this paper
• Glucocorticoid receptor confers resistance to antiandrogens by bypassing androgen receptor blockade.

  2013cited by this paper
• Non-genomic events determining the sensitivity of hemopoietic malignancies to glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis

  2013cited by this paper
• Interactions of abiraterone, eplerenone, and prednisolone with wild-type and mutant androgen receptor: a rationale for increasing abiraterone exposure or combining with MDV3100.

  2013cited by this paper
• Effect of corticosteroid (CS) use at baseline (CUB) on overall survival (OS) in patients (pts) receiving abiraterone acetate (AA): Results from a randomized study (COU-AA-301) in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) post-docetaxel (D).

  2013cited by this paper
• Abiraterone in metastatic prostate cancer.

  2013cited by this paper
• FoxA1 specifies unique androgen and glucocorticoid receptor binding events in prostate cancer cells.

  2013cited by this paper
• Interleukin-6: A multifunctional targetable cytokine in human prostate cancer

  2012cited by this paper
• Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III trial comparing docetaxel and prednisone with or without bevacizumab in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: CALGB 90401.

  2012cited by this paper
• Association of Baseline Corticosteroid with Outcomes in a Multivariate Analysis of the Phase 3 Affirm Study of Enzalutamide (ENZA), An Androgen Receptor Signaling Inhibitor (ARSI)

  2012cited by this paper
• Clinical and biochemical consequences of CYP17A1 inhibition with abiraterone given with and without exogenous glucocorticoids in castrate men with advanced prostate cancer.

  2012cited by this paper
• Increased survival with enzalutamide in prostate cancer after chemotherapy.

  2012cited by this paper
• Association of Baseline Corticosteroid With Outcomes in a Multivariate Analysis of the Phase 3 Affirm Study of Enzalutamide (ENZA), an Androgen Receptor Signaling Inhibitor (ARSI)

  2012cited by this paper
• Interactions of abiraterone, eplerenone, and prednisolone with wild-type and mutant androgen receptor: a rationale for increasing abiraterone exposure or combining with MDV3100.

  2012cited by this paper
• Dual role of FoxA1 in androgen receptor binding to chromatin, androgen signalling and prostate cancer

  2011cited by this paper
• Abiraterone and increased survival in metastatic prostate cancer.

  2011cited by this paper
• IL-6 promotes prostate tumorigenesis and progression through autocrine cross-activation of IGF-IR

  2011cited by this paper
• A multi-centre randomised phase III trial of Dexamethasone vs Dexamethasone and diethylstilbestrol in castration-resistant prostate cancer: immediate vs deferred Diethylstilbestrol

  2011cited by this paper
• Randomized, open-label phase III trial of docetaxel plus high-dose calcitriol versus docetaxel plus prednisone for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer.

  2011cited by this paper
• The rules of DNA recognition by the androgen receptor.

  2010cited by this paper
• Multinational, double-blind, phase III study of prednisone and either satraplatin or placebo in patients with castrate-refractory prostate cancer progressing after prior chemotherapy: the SPARC trial.

  2009cited by this paper
• Phase I clinical trial of a selective inhibitor of CYP17, abiraterone acetate, confirms that castration-resistant prostate cancer commonly remains hormone driven.

  2008cited by this paper
• Efficacy of low‐dose dexamethasone in castration‐refractory prostate cancer

  2007cited by this paper
• Glucocorticoid up-regulates transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) type II receptor and enhances TGF-beta signaling in human prostate cancer PC-3 cells.

  2006cited by this paper
• Glucocorticoids Suppress Tumor Lymphangiogenesis of Prostate Cancer Cells

  2006cited by this paper
• Biology of progressive, castration-resistant prostate cancer: directed therapies targeting the androgen-receptor signaling axis.

  2005cited by this paper
• Docetaxel plus prednisone or mitoxantrone plus prednisone for advanced prostate cancer.

  2004cited by this paper
• Androgen receptor mutations in androgen-independent prostate cancer: Cancer and Leukemia Group B Study 9663.

  2003cited by this paper
• Novel mutations of androgen receptor: a possible mechanism of bicalutamide withdrawal syndrome.

  2003cited by this paper
• Accelerated in vivo growth of prostate tumors that up-regulate interleukin-6 is associated with reduced retinoblastoma protein expression and activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway.

  2003cited by this paper
• Potential mechanism for the effects of dexamethasone on growth of androgen-independent prostate cancer.

  2001cited by this paper
• Adrenal androgens regulation and adrenopause.

  2001cited by this paper
• Glucocorticoids manifest androgenic activity in a cell line derived from a metastatic prostate cancer.

  2001cited by this paper
• Flutamide versus prednisone in patients with prostate cancer symptomatically progressing after androgen-ablative therapy: a phase III study of the European organization for research and treatment of cancer genitourinary group.

  2001cited by this paper
• Dexamethasone does not significantly contribute to the response rate of docetaxel and estramustine in androgen independent prostate cancer.

  2000cited by this paper
• Hydrocortisone with or without mitoxantrone in men with hormone-refractory prostate cancer: results of the cancer and leukemia group B 9182 study.

  1999cited by this paper
• Corticosteroids significantly delay the onset of docetaxel-induced fluid retention: final results of a randomized study of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Investigational Drug Branch for Breast Cancer.

  1997cited by this paper
• Nuclear receptors: structure, function and involvement in disease.

  1997cited by this paper
• Chemotherapy with mitoxantrone plus prednisone or prednisone alone for symptomatic hormone-resistant prostate cancer: a Canadian randomized trial with palliative end points.

  1996cited by this paper
• Prospective evaluation of hydrocortisone and suramin in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer.

  1995cited by this paper
• Prostate specific antigen levels and clinical response to low dose dexamethasone for hormone‐refractory metastatic prostate carcinoma

  1995cited by this paper
• Mediation of glucocorticoid receptor function by transforming growth factor beta I expression in human PC‐3 prostate cancer cells

  1995cited by this paper
• Mutant androgen receptor detected in an advanced-stage prostatic carcinoma is activated by adrenal androgens and progesterone.

  1993cited by this paper
• Response of prostate cancer cells to peptide growth factors: transforming growth factor-beta.

  1991cited by this paper
• Treatment of metastatic prostatic cancer with low-dose prednisone: evaluation of pain and quality of life as pragmatic indices of response.

  1989cited by this paper
• Hormonal effects of high dose medroxyprogesterone acetate treatment in males with renal or prostatic adenocarcinoma.

  1988cited by this paper
• Suppression of androgen and oestrogen production in normal men.

  1972cited by this paper
• Carcinoma of prostate: response of plasma luteinizing hormone and testosterone to oestrogen therapy.

  1968cited by this paper
• Total adrenalectomy for reactivated carcinoma of the prostate.

  1953cited by this paper
• Studies on prostatic cancer. I. The effect of castration, of estrogen and androgen injection on serum phosphatases in metastatic carcinoma of the prostate.

  1941cited by this paper

• Use of Systemic Glucocorticoids and Risk of Prostate Adenocarcinoma: Evidence From a Danish Population‐Based Case–Control Study

  2025cites this paper
• The rates of septicemia in older adults with prostate cancer treated with abiraterone or enzalutamide: A population-based study.

  2024cites this paper
• A TBX2-driven signaling switch from androgen receptor to glucocorticoid receptor confers therapeutic resistance in prostate cancer

  2024influential citation
• Evaluation of glucocorticoid-related genes reveals GPD1 as a therapeutic target and regulator of sphingosine 1-phosphate metabolism in CRPC.

  2024cites this paper
• TBX2 driven switch from Androgen Receptor to Glucocorticoid Receptor signaling confers therapeutic resistance in Prostate Cancer

  2023cites this paper
• Mometasone furoate inhibits the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma via regulating PTPN11

  2023cites this paper
• Beyond Corticoresistance, A Paradoxical Corticosensitivity Induced by Corticosteroid Therapy in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemias

  2023cites this paper
• Glucocorticoid Receptor and β-Catenin Interact in Prostate Cancer Cells and Their Co-Inhibition Attenuates Tumorsphere Formation, Stemness, and Docetaxel Resistance

  2023cites this paper
• Upregulation of glucocorticoid receptor‐mediated glucose transporter 4 in enzalutamide‐resistant prostate cancer

  2021cites this paper
• Hexose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase blockade reverses prostate cancer drug resistance in xenograft models by glucocorticoid inactivation

  2021cites this paper
• A narrative review of the role of glucocorticoid receptors in prostate cancer: developments in last 5 years

  2021cites this paper
• Emerging role of glucocorticoid receptor in castration resistant prostate cancer: A potential therapeutic target

  2020cites this paper
• The Effect of Glucocorticoids on Angiogenesis in the Treatment of Solid Tumors

  2020cites this paper
• Psychosocial Stress, Glucocorticoid Signaling, and Prostate Cancer Health Disparities in African American Men.

  2020influential citation
• Strength training protects against prostate injury in alcoholic rats

  2020cites this paper
• Multi-omics analysis reveals the genetics and immune landscape of dexamethasone responsive genes in cancer microenvironment

  2020cites this paper
• Adverse Events Associated with Cumulative Corticosteroid Use in Patients with Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: An Administrative Claims Analysis

  2019cites this paper
• ETS Proteins Bind with Glucocorticoid Receptors: Relevance for Treatment of Ewing Sarcoma

  2019cites this paper
• Conceptual review of key themes in treating prostate cancer in older adults.

  2019cites this paper
• Molecular and cellular mechanisms of castration resistant prostate cancer

  2018cites this paper
• Nuclear receptor profiling in prostatospheroids and castration-resistant prostate cancer.

  2018cites this paper
• Mometasone furoate inhibits growth of acute leukemia cells in childhood by regulating PI3K signaling pathway

  2018cites this paper
• Molecular underpinnings of enzalutamide resistance.

  2018cites this paper
• Living and dying with prostate cancer Population-based register studies

  2018cites this paper
• Glucocorticoids Induce Stress Oncoproteins Associated with Therapy-Resistance in African American and European American Prostate Cancer Cells

  2018cites this paper
• The Role of Glucocorticoid Signaling in Prostate Cancer Health Disparities

  2018cites this paper
• Rôle du récepteur des androgènes dans les communications cellulaires au sein du cancer de la prostate

  2018cites this paper
• Lymphoid Cancers Glucocorticoids in Childhood Leukemia

  2017cites this paper
• Aberrant Tumor Metabolism Enables GR Takeover in Enzalutamide-Resistant Prostate Cancer

  2017influential citation
• Aberrant corticosteroid metabolism in tumor cells enables GR takeover in enzalutamide resistant prostate cancer

  2017influential citation
• The role of glucocorticoid receptor in prostate cancer progression: from bench to bedside

  2017cites this paper
• Emerging aspects of microRNA interaction with TMPRSS2-ERG and endocrine therapy.

  2017cites this paper
• Managing Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer in the Pre-chemotherapy Setting: A Changing Approach in the Era of New Targeted Agents

  2016cites this paper
• Improving Taxane-Based Chemotherapy in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

  2016cites this paper
• WOMEN IN CANCER THEMATIC REVIEW: New roles for nuclear receptors in prostate cancer.

  2016cites this paper
• Androgen deprivation by adrenal suppression using low-dose hydrocortisone for the treatment of breast carcinoma with apocrine features: a case report illustrating this new paradigm

  2016cites this paper
• Androgen–glucocorticoid interactions in the era of novel prostate cancer therapy

  2016cites this paper
• Study of Parathyroid hormone,Cortisol and Calcium in the Serum of Non- metastatic Prostate Cancer Patients Cohorts in Iraq

  2016cites this paper
• Glucocorticoid receptor antagonism reverts docetaxel resistance in human prostate cancer

  2015cites this paper
• Glucocorticoids and Cancer.

  2015cites this paper
• The expression of glucocorticoid receptor is negatively regulated by active androgen receptor signaling in prostate tumors

  2015cites this paper
• Utilization of human nuclear receptors as an early counter screen for off-target activity: a case study with a compendium of 615 known drugs.

  2015cites this paper
• The metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treatment paradigm: more choices, more questions

  2014cites this paper
• Anticancer Activity of a Novel Selective CYP17A1 Inhibitor in Preclinical Models of Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer

  2014cites this paper
• Driver or Passenger - Roles of the Glucocorticoid Receptor in Castration Resistance Prostate Cancers

  2014cites this paper
• EPI-002 and enzalutamide combination therapy as a potential therapeutic benefit for castration-resistant prostate cancer patients

  2014influential citation
• Targeting the androgen receptor pathway in castration-resistant prostate cancer: progresses and prospects

  2014cites this paper