The mechanism by which organ-confined prostate cancer tumours metastasize throughout the body is largely unknown. Stat5 is critical for the growth of cancer cells, involved in increased migration and decreased expression of cell surface markers.

This study by Gu and colleagues provides the first evidence that active Stat5 is involved in the majority of distant prostate cancer metastases both in vitro and in vivo. Gu et al. (2010), Endocrine-Related Cancer.

DOI: 10.1677/ERC-09-0328