Skip to main content

TMPRSS2-ERG Gene Fusion

Meaning

The TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion is a specific and highly prevalent chromosomal rearrangement found in a significant subset of prostate cancer cases, particularly in men with androgen-dependent disease. This genetic event involves the fusion of the androgen-regulated TMPRSS2 gene promoter with the coding sequence of the ERG oncogene, leading to the aberrant, high-level overexpression of the ERG transcription factor. The presence of this fusion is a key molecular marker and a major driver of prostate carcinogenesis, linking androgen signaling directly to oncogenesis.