Biomechanical Forces in Prostate Cancer: Current Insights and Future Directions

Abstract

Over the past decade, research in tumor biomechanics has increasingly shown that cancer cells adapt to changing physical microenvironments by rewiring adhesion, cytoskeletal organization, and force-responsive signaling pathways, thereby shaping survival, invasion, and responses to therapy. Prostate cancer (PCa), like other solid tumors, resides in a highly dynamic mechanical milieu molded by extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, solid stress, and fluid shear forces. Available evidence generally supports that malignant prostate tissue is stiffer than benign tissue. During metastatic progression, however, the mechanical phenotype of PCa cells appears to undergo context-dependent remodeling. Such mechanical adaptations may help tumor cells withstand the physical challenges associated with circulation, adhesion switching, and colonization, and may intersect with the development of therapy resistance. Here, we synthesize recent advances in PCa biomechanics, highlight the intricate interplay between mechanical cues and tumor biology, and discuss opportunities to incorporate a mechanical perspective into diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. A deeper understanding of these processes may ultimately enable the development of emerging “mechanotherapies” for prostate cancer.