Oxidative Stress and Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in developed countries, affecting mainly older men. Elevated intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), derived from increased ROS production or impaired antioxidant defenses, cause oxidative damage to various cellular components including DNA, proteins, and lipids, as well as activation of intracellular proto-oncogenic signaling. Through these channels, ROS can participate in a wide range of intracellular physiological and pathological processes, including cell proliferation, cell-cycle progression, antiapoptosis, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis, which contribute to malignant transformation and cancer progression. Aging, race, and family history are well-known and established risk factors for prostate cancer; other possible risk factors include androgens, inflammation, diet, and lifestyle. These definitive and potential risk factors can be linked to oxidative stress.In this chapter, we summarize the findings regarding the functional links between oxidative stress and prostate cancer.