Insulin-like Growth Factor I and Urokinase-type Plasminogen Activator Bioregulation System as a Survival Mechanism of Prostate Cancer Cells in Osteoblastic Metastases: Development of Anti-Survival Factor Therapy for Hormone-Refractory Prostate Cancer

Abstract

Androgen ablation therapy is the first-line therapy in metastatic prostate cancer. It initially offers an objective clinical response, but eventually is stalled by the ominous development of refractoriness to hormonal therapy (stage D3). This ominous event signifies poor prognosis, uncontrolled tumor growth and curtailed survival to a median of only 10 months ( 1 ). Salvage chemotherapy does not improve the overall survival of stage D3 patients ( 2 , 3 ).