Scientists in the Cancer Epidemiology Unit in the Nuffield Department of Population Health, working closely with colleagues in NDS, are launching an ambitious effort to better understand what causes prostate cancer by analysing proteins in the blood and tumour tissue. They will use this knowledge to inform strategies to prevent prostate cancer from developing.
The programme, known as Prostate Cancer Aetiology and Prevention (PCAP), will combine large population studies with cutting-edge laboratory and data science techniques to identify biological signals linked to the disease, particularly its most aggressive forms.
'We need to move beyond simply treating prostate cancer to understanding how it develops in the first place,' said Professor Ruth Travis, one of the programme leads. 'By identifying the proteins and biological pathways involved, we hope to open up entirely new opportunities for prevention.'
The team will analyse thousands of proteins circulating in the blood using large-scale prospective cohorts such as UK Biobank and the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Importantly, given the higher risk of black men to get prostate cancer compared to other ethnicities, the team will generate new data in African American populations in the Multiethnic Cohort Study, with a focus on aggressive cancer.
'Prostate cancer prevention has lagged behind other major cancers,' said Dr Karl Smith-Byrne, co-lead of the programme. 'This research is about building the evidence base we need to change that. We can then identify who is most at risk and intervene earlier.'
Read the full story on the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences website.