Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42098986›Full record

ArticleHistopathology2026

FOXA1 is a highly sensitive diagnostic marker for prostate cancer including small cell carcinoma of the prostate.

Jianping Zhao, Jun Yao, Hossein Hosseini, Ezra Baraban, Ruihe Lin, Charles C Guo, Lei Huo, Wei Lu, Khaja Khan, Shufang Wang and 2 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Histopathology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Jianping ZhaoDepartment of Anatomical Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1855-3039
Jun YaoDepartment of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1418-3576
Hossein HosseiniDepartment of Anatomical Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Ezra BarabanDepartment of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6932-8985
Ruihe LinDepartment of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7475-6359
Charles C GuoDepartment of Anatomical Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2182-3287
Lei HuoDepartment of Anatomical Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7533-9082
Wei LuDepartment of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1333-0274
Khaja KhanDepartment of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Shufang WangDepartment of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2983-7453
Luisa Maren Solis SotoDepartment of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1253-630X
Qingqing DingDepartment of Anatomical Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8974-2419

Funding

Andrew Sabin Family FellowshipInstitutional Research Grant program at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsProstate cancer is one of the most common malignancies in men and a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. While second-generation antiandrogens induce durable responses, they have also led to the emergence of aggressive, androgen-independent subtypes of prostate cancer, including small cell carcinoma of the prostate. The diagnosis of these subtypes remains challenging due to the frequent loss of traditional prostatic markers, and novel prostate-specific markers are needed in routine pathology practice. METHODS AND

resultsThrough analysis of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, we identified Forkhead box protein A1 (FOXA1) as a potential diagnostic marker for prostatic cancer. We compared FOXA1 and NKX3.1 expression in benign prostatic glands and prostatic adenocarcinoma; FOXA1 immunostaining demonstrated a similar nuclear staining pattern to NKX3.1 and a high sensitivity for prostatic adenocarcinoma. Notably, in small cell carcinoma of the prostate, which typically loses expression of traditional prostate markers, FOXA1 expression was detected in 8 of 10 (80%) primary cases and 12 of 21 (57%) metastatic cases in our cohort. We also evaluated FOXA1 expression across various tumour types and observed positivity in 25 of 44 (57%) breast carcinomas, 15 of 68 (22%) urothelial carcinomas and rarely in other tumour types. Among 106 neuroendocrine tumours/carcinomas from different organs, only 2 of 4 breast neuroendocrine carcinomas showed FOXA1 expression.

conclusionsFOXA1 is a highly sensitive diagnostic marker for prostate cancer. It can serve as a valuable adjunct for confirming prostatic origin in diagnostically challenging cases such as prostatic small cell carcinoma.

Indexed as

AdenocarcinomaBiomarkers, TumorCarcinoma, Small CellHepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-alphaProstatic NeoplasmsHomeodomain ProteinsHumansImmunohistochemistryMaleTranscription FactorsBiomarkers, TumorFOXA1 protein, humanHepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3-alphaHomeodomain ProteinsNKX3-1 protein, humanTranscription FactorsbiomarkerFOXA1prostate adenocarcinomasmall cell carcinoma

Identifiers

PMID42098986
PMCPMC13341058

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.