Abstract
Earlier epidemiological studies identified diet as a primary environmental factor that determines substantial differences in prostate cancer incidence and mortality between East Asian and West European societies. New data from experiments performed in tissue culture and with animal models as well as epidemiological studies suggest that psychoemotional stress could be a second environmental component that influences prostate cancer progression by activation of epinephrine/beta(2)-adrenergic receptor signaling in the tumor cells. The emerging information on the role of stress in prostate cancer progression provides an additional incentive to actively treat anxiety and depression-frequent psychogenic comorbidities of prostate cancer. Given that almost 50% of men diagnosed with prostate cancer take medications to control hypertension, the choice of beta-blockers for these patients capable of antagonizing both beta(1)- and beta(2)- adrenergic receptors would provide a means of cancer therapy, whereas for men with normal blood pressure, using beta(2)-selective antagonists will help to minimize side effects.