SNAC2: A Randomised Trial Of Extending Sentinel Node Based Management To Women With Larger Or Multifocal Breast Cancers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,266,430.00
Summary
SNAC2 extends the work begun in SNAC1, which recruited 1,088 women over 4 years. SNAC1 will determine if sentinel node biopsy causes less arm problems than axillary clearance. The goal of SNAC2 is to establish the risk of local recurrence and long term safety of sentinel node biopsy, especially for women with larger or multiple tumours. SNAC2 is needed to determine whether the smaller operation gives cure rates as good as axillary clearance. If it does, then it will become standard practice.
Epigenetic Silencing Of Large Chromosomal Regions In Prostate Cancer.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$745,356.00
Summary
Epigenetics is a term that desribes modification of gene expression without a change to the DNA sequence through processes that involve chemical change to the DNA such as methylation. In this grant we will further characterise and understand the mechanism involved in long range epigenetic silencing and determine its prevalence in prostate cancer. This study will provide potential novel targets for prostate cancer detection, prognosis and therapy.
Androgen-regulated Proteins: Predictors Of Prostate Cancer Development And Progression
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$391,073.00
Summary
Use of PSA (prostate specific antigen) levels in blood to screen for prostate cancer has resulted in a) earlier detection of tumours and b) increased diagnosis of a premalignant disease of the prostate called PIN (prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia). PIN is thought to progressively change into cancer, which can invade the rest of the body. Growth of the cells of the prostate is regulated by male hormones called androgens. Small cancers localised to the prostate grow in response to androgens, bu ....Use of PSA (prostate specific antigen) levels in blood to screen for prostate cancer has resulted in a) earlier detection of tumours and b) increased diagnosis of a premalignant disease of the prostate called PIN (prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia). PIN is thought to progressively change into cancer, which can invade the rest of the body. Growth of the cells of the prostate is regulated by male hormones called androgens. Small cancers localised to the prostate grow in response to androgens, but larger cancers which have spread from the prostate grow steadily even after the androgen supply is cut off by removal of the testicles. In this project we will examine changes in the level of various proteins in the prostate, which are known to be produced in response to androgen, to see whether they discriminate: 1) those patients with PIN who will go on to develop prostate cancer, 2) those patients with small cancers within the prostate who progress to widespread cancer. We also propose to use a laser-controlled dissecting microscope to obtain pure populations of cancer cells from prostate tissues and then to isolate their DNA in order to: a) examine the DNA sequence of the protein which controls cellular growth in response to androgen (ie the androgen receptor) to see whether undesirable changes (mutations) have occurred in its structure during the development of the cancer, and b) identify proteins which mediate the effects of the androgen regulated proteins and control cancer development or spread. This will be done using the revolutionary technique of gene microarrays, where partial DNA sequences of approximately 4,000 different prostate genes are spotted onto small membrane filters, and which enable identification of genes that change in level with the onset of cancer and cancer spread. These 2 objectives will, in the case of a) prevent inappropriate treatment for prostate cancer, and b) identify targets for new treatments and for chemoprevention.Read moreRead less
The Assessment Of Clinical And Molecular Adjunctive Tools For The Early Detection Of Oral Mucosal Neoplasia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$454,383.00
Summary
It is anticipated that this research will make a significant contribution to our understanding of the natural development of oral cancer and will thus have a direct benefit to patients. The proposed research will enable high quality genetic analysis of individual mutations of relevance to oral cancer via a rapid, reliable, economic, and sensitive screening assay for the assessment of a large number of suspicious oral mucosal lesions.