Genetically engineered murine models of prostate cancer: insights into mechanisms of tumorigenesis and potential utility.

There has been substantial progress made recently in the effort to model human prostate cancer in mice. Several mutant mice have been generated which mimic various aspects of the human disease, including the development of preneoplastic lesions, invasive carcinoma, and metastases. These mouse reagents provide the research community with valuable new tools for dissecting the mechanisms of tumorigenesis, as well as for testing new targeted therapies. This review will summarize some of these models and their utility, as well as propose future challenges for developing improved models.