Race and prostate cancer: genomic landscape

In this Review, the authors discuss racial differences in the prevalence of genetic mutations in the main molecular drivers of prostate cancer and provide input regarding the role of genomics in racial disparities observed in prostate cancer outcomes. In the past 20 years, new insights into the genomic pathogenesis of prostate cancer have been provided. Large-scale integrative genomics approaches enabled researchers to characterize the genetic and epigenetic landscape of prostate cancer and to define different molecular subclasses based on the combination of genetic alterations, gene expression patterns and methylation profiles. Several molecular drivers of prostate cancer have been identified, some of which are different in men of different races. However, the extent to which genomics can explain racial disparities in prostate cancer outcomes is unclear. Future collaborative genomic studies overcoming the underrepresentation of non-white patients and other minority populations are essential.

Automated summary

This review discusses racial differences in genetic mutations related to prostate cancer and the role of genomics in understanding racial disparities in prostate cancer outcomes. Recent advances in genomics have provided insights into the genomic pathogenesis of prostate cancer and identified different molecular drivers of the disease, some of which show variations across racial backgrounds. However, the extent to which genomics can explain racial differences in prostate cancer outcomes remains unclear, highlighting the need for collaborative genomic studies that include diverse racial and ethnic populations.