# The role of neuroendocrine differentiation in treatment resistance of prostate cancer and intervention strategies

**Authors:** Baozhen Wang, Yanyun Zhang, Wenbo Zhang

PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1743689 · Frontiers in Oncology · 2026-01-07

## TL;DR

This review explores how neuroendocrine differentiation in prostate cancer causes treatment resistance and discusses possible intervention strategies.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive review of the role of neuroendocrine differentiation in prostate cancer treatment resistance and evaluates current interventions.

## Key findings

- Neuroendocrine differentiation alters cancer cell biology and induces resistance to endocrine and chemotherapy.
- The mechanisms behind neuroendocrine differentiation are poorly understood, limiting effective clinical interventions.
- Understanding molecular pathways of NED could lead to improved treatment outcomes for prostate cancer.

## Abstract

Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignancies in men, and resistance to conventional treatments is frequently encountered in clinical practice. Among the mechanisms contributing to this resistance, neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) is particularly significant. NED does not only change the basic biological characteristics of cancer cells but also is capable of inducing resistance to endocrine therapy and chemotherapy, which impact the overall prognosis negatively. While NED drives prostate cancer progression and treatment resistance, its pathophysiology and the mechanisms underlying its development are still poorly understood, which restricts the availability of effective clinical interventions. Hence, a detailed study on the molecular pathways that cause NED and the role of this phenomenon in therapy resistance will be needed to improve treatment outcomes in prostate cancer. This review delineates the role of NED in mediating therapy resistance in prostate cancer and evaluates current therapeutic interventions, with the aim of informing the development of new treatment strategies for this malignancy.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** prostate cancer (MONDO:0005159)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** cancer (MESH:D009369), Prostate cancer (MESH:D011471)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## Figures

2 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12819271/full.md

## References

88 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12819271/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12819271