Recent views of heavy metals as possible risk factors and potential preventive and therapeutic agents in prostate cancer

•Exposure to some heavy metals may contribute to the risk for prostate cancer.•Prostate cells could be sensitive to the toxic and the hormone mimicking actions of some heavy metals.•Dyshomeostasis of essential metals is commonly found in prostate cancer tissues.•Preclinical studies show association between exposure to certain heavy metals and prostate carcinogenesis.•The use of metals in promising for prostate cancer prevention and therapy.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in many industrialized countries. A role for androgens in prostate tumor progression is well recognized, while estrogens may cooperate with androgens in prostate carcinogenesis. The incidence of prostate cancer is highly variable in the different countries, suggesting an important role of environmental factors. Heavy metals are common environmental contaminants and some of them are confirmed or suspected human carcinogens. Some metals are endowed with estrogenic and/or androgenic activities and may play a role as cancer risk factors through this mechanism. Moreover, prostate cancer may present alterations in the intracellular balance of trace metals, such as zinc and copper, which are involved in several regulatory proteins. Herein, we review the possible role of environmental heavy metals and of metal-dyshomeostasis in prostate cancer development and promotion as well as the potential use of some metals in the prevention and therapy of prostate cancer.