Can Exercise Delay Transition To Active Therapy In Men With Low Grade Prostate Cancer? A Multi-Centre Randomized Controlled Trial.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$604,429.00
Summary
Prostate cancer overdiagnosis is associated with increased rates of overtreatment and associated morbidity. Although nearly half of Australian men diagnosed with low risk prostate cancer are managed with active surveillance there are no established recommendations for slowing disease progression and delaying transition to active treatment. The proposed study would be the first to determine the efficacy of a comprehensive exercise program during active surveillance for prostate cancer.
Estrogen Therapy For Castrate Resistant Prostate Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$531,690.00
Summary
Withdrawal of male hormones in men with prostate cancer is effective therapeutically because it causes cell death in most of the tumour. However the remaining cells (called castrate resistant cells), give rise to recurrent disease that inevitably kills the patient. This project aims to test if our compound will kill these cells and prevent recurrence or if it has any benefit for the patients who have incurable disease.
The Ghrelin Axis As A Target For Prostate Cancer Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$585,497.00
Summary
Prostate cancer affects one in nine Australian men in their lifetime, and although there have been great advances in treatments, advanced prostate cancer remains incurable. Current treatments often lead to side effects which affect quality of life. We have found that the appetite hormone, ghrelin, stimulates prostate cancer cell growth and may be a useful target for prostate cancer therapy. We predict that targeting the ghrelin axis will prevent some of the side effects of other treatments that ....Prostate cancer affects one in nine Australian men in their lifetime, and although there have been great advances in treatments, advanced prostate cancer remains incurable. Current treatments often lead to side effects which affect quality of life. We have found that the appetite hormone, ghrelin, stimulates prostate cancer cell growth and may be a useful target for prostate cancer therapy. We predict that targeting the ghrelin axis will prevent some of the side effects of other treatments that reduce quality of life for patients.Read moreRead less
A Novel Strategy For Targeting Castrate-resistant Prostate Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$799,440.00
Summary
Modern drugs for advanced prostate cancer are based on starving the tumour of hormones. However, tumours either escape this treatment or are inherently resistant to it. We have developed a new approach with drugs that block protein synthesis. This deprives tumours of the building blocks to make new cancer cells. In this project, we will determine the effectiveness of this new treatment on samples of patient prostate cancer tissue that have failed currently available drugs.
Some advances have been made in identifying genetic factors that underlie susceptibility to prostate cancer but few explain multiple-cases of prostate cancer in families. Linkage studies show that the unexplained familial aggregations of prostate cancer are likely to be explained by mutations in many genes. This research will utilize our prior research, our extensive research resources, new technology and supercomputing to identify genetic factors associated with prostate cancer susceptibility.
Copper-ionophores As A Treatment For Prostate Cancer?
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$314,154.00
Summary
The overarching aim of this project is to evaluate a potential therapy for prostate cancer, which targets a distinct characteristic of the disease 'elevated copper'. Our copper-based drugs in the laboratory selectively destroy cancerous prostate cells without harming normal cells. We will verify whether these drugs work in the body where the environment is more complex. Proof of this principle will open up a new area of research and provide a novel therapeutic approach for prostate cancer.
Profiling Circulating DNA And RNA To Identify Mechanisms Of Therapeutic Resistance And Response In Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$482,590.00
Summary
Enzalutamide is a powerful hormone treatment that improves survival for men with advanced prostate cancer. Unfortunately, all prostate cancers eventually become resistant to enzalutamide and not all men initially respond to treatment. I will look for blood markers that predict which men benefit from enzalutamide treatment and try to understand how resistance to enzalutamide occurs. This may lead to more effective use of enzalutamide resulting in better outcomes in advanced prostate cancer.
Investigation Of Steroidogenesis As A Mechanism Of Castration Resistance In Human Prostate Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$419,076.00
Summary
Prostate cancer is critically dependent upon continued testosterone stimulation, even when the disease becomes resistant to existing hormonal therapies that suppress serum levels. The source of this testosterone is currently unclear. This study aims to identify the site of testosterone synthesis in patients with prostate cancer, and determine the relevance of continued testosterone signalling in patients treated with 'super castrating' hormonal therapy.
Value Of Androgen Deprivation And Bisphosphonate In Patients Treated By Radiotherapy For Localised Prostate Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,533,827.00
Summary
Following on from significant findings in the TROG 96.01 trial, the 03.04 trial, known as the RADAR trial was developed. This is a large-scale randomised controlled clinical trial currently conducted at 23 cancer treatment centres throughout Australia and New Zealand. The RADAR trial aims to recruit 1000 men with localised but inoperable prostate cancer. It was anticipated that the length of time required to enrol 1000 participants to the trial would be 5 years. However, because enrolment has ex ....Following on from significant findings in the TROG 96.01 trial, the 03.04 trial, known as the RADAR trial was developed. This is a large-scale randomised controlled clinical trial currently conducted at 23 cancer treatment centres throughout Australia and New Zealand. The RADAR trial aims to recruit 1000 men with localised but inoperable prostate cancer. It was anticipated that the length of time required to enrol 1000 participants to the trial would be 5 years. However, because enrolment has exceeded expectations and 728 patients have already been recruited, it is anticipated that the recruitment target will be reached in mid 2007. Patients are randomly assigned to receive one of four treatment options in the RADAR trial. The first option: Option A: Radiation Therapy and 6 months of Hormone Therapy (Leuprorelin acetate), is currently the standard of care. Option C is a further 12 months of hormone therapy after the current standard of care. Two of the options (B and D) are identical to options A and C except that subjects also receive 18 months of zoledronate (a 'bone' drug) in addition to hormone therapy and radiotherapy. The main goal of the RADAR trial is to determine whether 12 months of hormone therapy using Leuprorelin acetate starting immediately after standard therapy (ie 6 months of Leuprorelin acetate before and during radiotherapy) will reduce risk of return of the cancer, either within the prostate region or at remote sites in the body, and prolong life. An additional goal is to see whether 18 months of bisphosphonate therapy (bone density therapy) using zoledronate will reduce the risk of cancer returning in the bones as well as stopping dangerous bone thinning which can sometimes be caused by hormone therapy. The trial also seeks to determine whether the additional therapy given in this trial alters quality of life.Read moreRead less
Optimal Duration Of Neoadjuvant Androgen Deprivation Therapy In Localised Prostate Cancer Treated By Radiotherapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$422,335.00
Summary
The 96.01 trial aims to find out whether androgen deprivation (AD) administered prior to and during radiotherapy (i.e., neo-adjuvant AD) will improve outcomes in patients with locally advanced prostate cancer that is considered inoperable and is treated for cure by radiotherapy. The trial also aims to find out whether six months AD produces outcomes superior to those achieved by three months AD. The trial has been running since 1996 and involves 802 men who attend 19 cancer treatment centres acr ....The 96.01 trial aims to find out whether androgen deprivation (AD) administered prior to and during radiotherapy (i.e., neo-adjuvant AD) will improve outcomes in patients with locally advanced prostate cancer that is considered inoperable and is treated for cure by radiotherapy. The trial also aims to find out whether six months AD produces outcomes superior to those achieved by three months AD. The trial has been running since 1996 and involves 802 men who attend 19 cancer treatment centres across Australia and New Zealand. It would not have been possible without the continuous funding support of the NHMRC. So far this trial has shown that AD does prevent prostate cancer from returning after radiotherapy. This is very important because the need for treatment of recurrent cancer (usually AD for the rest of the patient's life) is halved by 6 months AD compared to standard treatment (radiotherapy alone). However, it is now necessary to observe the patients in this trial for another 5 years to find out whether AD also prolongs life, and whether 6 months AD is more effective than 3 months. Further patient follow up is also necessary to identify whether some men respond better to treatment than others. This is very important because it will enable treatment to be tailored to individual patients, in particular those who require more treatment than is given in this trial. This funding application is therefore to enable patient follow up on this large scale trial for another 5 years.Read moreRead less