New progress of extrachromosomal circular DNA in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a malignancy with a high incidence among middle-aged and elderly men in West-ern countries. In China, the escalating incidence and prevalence over the years have imposed a significant burden on the healthcare system and society. Extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) plays a critical role in prostate cancer and is associated with poorer patient prognosis. Not only does eccDNA serve as a vehicle for amplifying on-cogenes, it also can act in trans as an enhancer for genes on other eccDNA or chromosomes. In this review, we provide a concise overview of the molecular characteristics, functions, and detection methods about eccDNA of dif-ferent types, with a particular focus on the advancement of eccDNA in development and progression of prostate cancer,tumor diagnosis and tumor resistance research. This article also explores the role of eccDNA as a potential diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target in prostate cancer.