IDENTIFICATION OF NEW DRUGS FOR PROSTATE CANCER Scientists at the Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London are investigating new drug treatments for men with prostate cancer. They ve already identified two proteins involved in prostate cancer growth and drug resistance and now, with the help of Movember funding, they will test drugs against these proteins in laboratory models of disease. The research aims to test a new set of drugs that block molecules, which early results indicate are important for tumour growth. The scientists hope that by the end of this project, they will have identified and validated new prostate cancer drugs that can go on to be tested in clinical trials. The drugs being tested target specific mechanisms involved in drug resistance, and are therefore potentially relevant for patients who have developed resistance to other chemotherapy drugs. This could lead the way to additional treatments for advanced prostate cancer and open doors for alternative treatments and ultimately improve survival rates for patients diagnosed with prostate cancer. Professor Marco Falasca, of the Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London, will head the 3 year research programme.
ADVANCED BLOOD SCANNING MEASURES IN PROSTATE CANCER Current methods for assessing prostate cancer behaviour are invasive and, due to the difficulties in distinguishing slow from rapid-growing prostate cancer, a significant number of men are either treated unnecessarily or inadequately treated. This project, led by the Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton, and funded by Movember, is researching innovative means of using blood samples to test for genetic changes that suggest cancer growth, to avoid confusion over the individual behaviour of a patient s prostate cancer. The research will investigate new tests to identify cancer related changes in genetic material circulating in the blood of prostate cancer patients. In doing so, this project could identify and test for a genetic profile to indicate either aggressive or non-threatening prostate cancer, and identify cancers that cause resistance in patients receiving treatment. By identifying gene changes associated with tumour behaviour, patients with significantly aggressive prostate cancer may be advised to undergo a prostate biopsy, allowing low risk men to avoid such unnecessary treatment. Being able to identify whether a prostate cancer is likely to be aggressive or not, through testing the blood, could help physicians and men make more informed choices about treatments. A large proportion of prostate cancer patients are over investigated or inadequately treated, due to the varying nature of the cancer. Current methods for exploring this are invasive and challenging. If we can develop an accurate of measure prostate cancer behaviour through blood tests, a reduction in over and under treatment can be achieved; ultimately, allowing doctors to make more informed treatment decisions. Dr Gerhardt Attard will be leading the project through the Drug Development Unit at the Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton. The expected time period of this study is 3 years.
TESTING IMMUNOTHERAPY FOR PROSTATE CANCER Researchers at King s College London, with the support of Movember funds, are testing a new protein-based drug, which aims to help the body s own immune system fight back against prostate cancer. The results of this project may provide scope for new treatments for men affected by advanced and otherwise untreatable prostate cancer. This research will test whether a protein drug (FAB4) can make the body s own immune system attack prostate cancer, by guiding immune cells into the prostate to attack the cancerous cells. This treatment is still very new, and needs to be thoroughly tested in the lab to see if it works well enough to be used in a clinical trial. If successful, this new protein-guided immunotherapy could provide a treatment for men affected by advanced and otherwise untreatable prostate cancer, helping to improve survival and quality of life for patients. Although only in its pilot stage, success in tests here will provide the necessary justification to undertake more comprehensive testing hopefully one day including clinical trials. Dr Sophie Papa, Academic Clinical Lecturer at King s College London, will lead the year long project.
USING IMMUNE SYSTEM TO FIGHT PROSTATE CANCER Scientists at King s College London are conducting research into manipulating proteins to encourage the body to fight back against prostate cancer using its own immune system. This study, funded by Movember, aims to reduce both treatment required to beat cancer and the number of side effects experienced by patients. Using treatments that work with the body s own immune system to combat cancer cells is currently only used for patients with late stage prostate cancer. However, by this point, the immune system is already weakened and cannot respond as well to attempts to boost its defensive response to cancer. This research proposes to modify proteins that will work with the immune system to combat cancer cells in the areas directly affected. By doing so, the developing treatments will be less toxic than conventional immune system drugs, which are circulated around the body. By targeting specific, localised areas affected by cancer, this treatment may stop the disease spreading further. Current treatments for advanced prostate cancer have many side effects and stop working quite quickly. On top of this, because the treatment is only administered to patients in the late stage of the cancer, it can prolong life, but only for a few months. The scientists hope that an effective treatment that uses the patient s immune system could be used at an the earlier stages of prostate cancer, when the body s immune system is still fully functioning. By targeting specific areas affected by the cancer, this limits the side effects often seen in current treatments. Dr Christine Galustian, Senior Research Fellow at King s College, London, is leading this project, which will last 12 months.
IMPROVING ASSESSMENT FOR PROSTATE CANCER TREATMENTS Researchers at the Barts Cancer Institute are exploring new measures of assessing the behaviour of cancerous tumours in the prostate. The Movember-funded project will trial a less invasive, yet more accurate, measure of tumour behaviour using cutting-edge gene technologies. This will help treatments become more personalised to each patient. There are a number of ways to assess the changes in a cancerous tumour. Using the latest technology, this research will investigate whether counting mutations in tumour DNA in the blood of prostate cancer patients can indicate how well they are responding to treatment, and predict those that will not respond to particular treatment types. Current methods to check whether a particular prostate cancer treatment is working have many limitations. Applying new genetic testing technology to blood samples as proposed in this project may more accurately reflect anti-tumour effects of new drugs. This may accelerate the developments of new treatments for prostate cancer and allow treatments to be personalised, without the need for more invasive techniques. This research will take place at Barts Cancer Institute, London, and will be led by Dr Marco Gerlinger. This study will take 12 months.
DETECTING CANCER SPREAD FROM THE PROSTATE TO BONE Movember funded researchers in St. Thomas Hospital are investigating new methods of detecting the spread of cancer from the prostate to adjacent bones. Using innovative imaging techniques, the present research will also measure the effectiveness of current treatment programmes. It is predicted that this will lead to new, targeted treatments for prostate cancer in its advanced stage. Bone metastases, the spreading of cancer from the prostate to adjacent bones, occur in many advanced prostate cancer patients. Over 70% of patients dying from end-stage prostate cancer have bone metastases. This project will evaluate a new method of imaging used to help guide effective treatment for men with prostate cancer that has spread to their bones. By comparing this new method of imaging with conventional scans and blood tests, this study hopes to see if it can measure cancer spread and treatment responses earlier than is currently possible. It is currently recognised that existing methods for tracking prostate cancer, and its spread to bones, are relatively insensitive and slow to respond often taking several months, leaving patients to experience the side effects of a treatment they are not benefiting from. Improving the speed and accuracy of imaging techniques will provide doctors with a better platform to offer the right treatment for each patient, crucially, at a much earlier stage of the disease than is currently possible. Professor Gary Cook will be leading this investigation at St. Thomas Hospital, London, which is predicted to take 2 years.