The prospects of retinoids in the treatment of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer amongst males and accounts for 13% of cancer deaths in this population in the US. Aggressive, androgen-independent, metastatic prostate cancer is incurable, and the search for new therapies has been directed towards identifying agents that block proliferation and induce differentiation and/or apoptosis of prostate cancer cells. Retinoid receptor agonists, such as all- retinoic acid, can induce apoptosis of prostate cancer cells, but clinical studies have demonstrated only mild to moderate efficacy. Retinoic acid receptor antagonists are a new class of retinoids, and pre-clinical studies have shown that they potently inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells and induce apoptosis. Here, we review whether retinoids have a role in the fight against prostate cancer.