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Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in men, and the third leading cause of cancer death after lung and colorectal cancer. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is used to facilitate the diagnosis of prostate carcinoma, to determine whether foci are invasive, and to determine whether a patient's cancer will respond to androgen therapy (Pentyala, 2016).
Early detection of prostate carcinoma relies on both clinical detection (rectal exam or transrectal ultrasound) and serum measurements of proteins such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA / KLK3), a glycoprotein secreted by epithelial cells of the prostate gland. Prostein is often used alongside PSA to increase sensitivity in identifying prostate metastases, and IHC with antibodies to NKX3-1 is useful in identifying prostate as a potential site of origin in a metastasis of unknown primary (Kandalaft, 2015). When prostate biopsies are taken, IHC with markers such as high molecular weight cytokeratins, p63, EPCAM, TGF-beta, and AMACR can determine whether the basal cell myoepithelial layer is intact or has been infiltrated by the tumor. Markers such as GalNAc-T3 (GALNT3), PSMA (FOLH1), hepsin (TMPRSS1), and PCA3 have proven useful in distinguishing prostate cancer from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).