Subtle morphological and molecular changes in normal-looking epithelium in prostates with prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia or cancer

Background: Prostate cancer develops over an extended period of time. Until recently, the events initiating the process and the developments concomitant with the evolution towards invasive disease were largely unknown. Methods: Analytical and quantitative methods are applied to provide insights into certain individual molecular events and their effects on the complex multiple feedback system of cellular metabolism and regulation in prostate neoplasia. Results: Prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) and prostate cancer (PCa) are associated with or possibly preceded by changes in the chromatin of secretory cell nuclei. The changes are detectable with a Bayesian belief network and quantifiable by computer image analysis in prostatic tissue that still appears histologically normal. In addition, normal-looking prostate epithelium shows some molecular changes similar to those present in the associated preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions. Such changes are also occasionally present in normal prostate glands without PIN and cancer. Conclusions: The subtle morphological and molecular changes of normal-looking epithelium might be seen as the onset of the development of prostatic neoplasia.