Figure 3.

Targeting the prostate cancer metastasis ecosystem for cancer therapy. The ecosystem of prostate cancer bone metastases presents several targets for cancer therapy that are currently being studied in the preclinical and clinical settings. Agents to inhibit osteoclast maturation and function (bisphosphonates) as well as endothelial cell proliferation (bevacizumab) are already in clinical use. Agents that inhibit osteoblast function are in clinical trial. Agents that modulate the cells of the immune system hold promise and are being studied preclinically as well as clinically. The recognition that cancer cells interact with mesenchymal and hematopoietic stem cells has opened new avenues of investigation for the treatment of bone metastases.