Our data suggest that SOCS3 hypermethylation may be involved in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer and could identify a tumor subset with an aggressive behavior.

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains a major health concern for the male population. Detection and primary diagnosis of PCa are based on digital rectal examination, serum prostate-specific antigen levels, and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided random biopsy. Moreover, the gold standard for detecting PCa, systematic biopsy, lacks sensitivity as well as grading accuracy. This review summarizes recent developments of ultrasonography modalities and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis of PCa. A comparison between the different methods is presented, including their clinical value and usefulness. It is concluded that innovative ultrasound techniques (including ultrasound contrast agents, 3-D and 4-D sonography, elastography and harmonic sonography) promise benefits in comparison to standard TRUS to accurately diagnose PCa. Promising advances have been made in the detection of PCa with multiparametric MRI. The combination of conventional and functional MRI techniques (including diffusion-weighted imaging, dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, and MR spectroscopy) can provide information for differentiating PCa from noncancerous tissue and can be used for MRI-guided biopsies, especially in patients with persistent elevation of serum prostate-specific antigen and previous negative TRUS-guided biopsies. However, functional MRI technique and MRI-guided biopsy remain expensive and complex tools presenting inherent challenges.

Despite recent improvements in detection and treatment, prostate cancer continues to be the most common malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Thus, although survival rate continues to improve, prostate cancer remains a compelling medical health problem. The major goal of prostate cancer imaging in the next decade will be more accurate disease characterization through the synthesis of anatomic, functional, and molecular imaging information in order to plan the most appropriate therapeutic strategy. No consensus exists regarding the use of imaging for evaluating primary prostate cancer. However, conventional and functional imaging are expanding their role in detection and local staging and, moreover, functional imaging is becoming of great importance in oncologic management and monitoring of therapy response. This review presents a multidisciplinary perspective on the role of conventional and functional imaging methods in prostate cancer staging.

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SOCS3- pt turned out to have a more aggressive disease compared with SOCS3+. In particular, also SOCS3+/- patients seemed to have an aggressive behavior. The non-expression of SOCS3 protein may identify PC with more aggressive behavior and can be evaluated with immunohystochemical analysis, which is a relatively easy and cheap procedure in clinical practice. These results, if confirmed by a wider population and a longer follow-up, may encourage the research on the use of this molecular family as a prognostic marker and a target for therapy with demethylating agents.