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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2012 Sep 18.
Published in final edited form as: Eur Urol. 2011 Nov 12;61(3):549–559. doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2011.11.009

Table 3.

Novel biomarkers with potential clinical utility in development in castration-resistant prostate cancer

Novel biomarker Potential application in CRPC
Ras/raf mutations Potential benefit with ras pathway inhibitors (ie, sorafenib, vemurafenib)
Tubulin mutations Selection of microtubule-based therapies (docetaxel, cabazitaxel)
Absence of significant pain Selection for sipuleucel-T therapy on label
Androgen receptor splice variants Predict sensitivity to novel antiandrogens
CTCs Potential surrogate for overall survival (context dependent)
Cardiac comorbidity Predict for risk/toxicity with antiangiogenic agents
c-met/HGF activity Enrich for benefit with c-met inhibitors
Androgen synthesis precursor levels Predict for benefit from androgen synthesis inhibitors (abiraterone acetate)
PTEN loss in CTCs or metastases Enrich for benefit with PI3 kinase pathway inhibitors
DNA repair defects (ie, BRCA2 mutations, PTEN loss) Enrich for benefit with poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors
Myc amplification Cell-cycle inhibitors (antiproliferation agents)
High urine N-telopeptide, TRAP-5b, or other bone turnover markers Benefit with denosumab or zoledronic acid

CRPC = castration-resistant prostate cancer; CTC = circulating tumor cells; HGF = hepatocyte growth factor; PTEN = phosphatase and tensin homologue; ADP = adenosine diphosphate; TRAP = tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase.