University of Texas SPORE in Prostate Cancer

University Of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr, Houston TX

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The strategic plan of The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center SPORE in Prostate Cancer is to translate the knowledge gained from understanding the roles of tumor microenvironments into clinical applications in the prognostication of disease progression, prediction of treatment response, and development of therapy for patients with prostate cancer. We have focused on interrelated translational themes: Targeting PDGF-R to enhance efficacy of chemotherapy; applying, validating, and refining an interleukin II receptor targeting treatment for patients with prostate cancer bone metastases; using glucose regulated protein 78 as an initial target for a new ligand receptor pair imaging strategy to monitor prostate cancer progression; elucidating relative roles of diet and adipocytes in prostate carcinogenesis, and applying the knowledge clinically; and developing MDA-BF1, an osteoblast regulatory factor isolated from bone marrow samples of patients with prostate cancer bone metastases, as a marker to predict and monitor prostate cancer progression in bone. Our SPORE has assembled clinicians and basic scientists-including medical oncologists, urologists, pathologists, radiation oncologists, developmental biologists, molecular and cell biologists, epidemiologists, biostatisticians, and experts in informatics and drug development-to achieve these goals. The SPORE brings together major complementary strengths of basic scientists and clinical investigators involved in prostate cancer research. This SPORE consists of five scientific Projects and three supporting Cores. The projects have a strongly translational focus: All five projects study human prostate cancer, and include clinical and basic investigators, pathologists, and biostatisticians in the concept, design, and execution of the studies. When integrated, the results of our studies will lead to a patient management strategy incorporating the prognostic and predictive markers and innovative treatment approaches we and others are developing. Three well-developed Cores, i.e., Administrative, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, and Specimen cores, are led by senior investigators to support the five projects. The Core resources provide fully characterized and clinically annotated human tissues and data analysis expertise. In addition, Developmental Research and Career Development Programs have brought new investigators into the SPORE. The initial M. D. Anderson SPORE in Prostate Cancer leads an inter-SPORE trial based on experimental observations developed in Project 1. This inter-SPORE trial is near completion. In addition, our SPORE investigators will continue to participate in the development of uniform tissue procurement collection and annotation strategies. The achievement of the aims of this Prostate Cancer SPORE proposal will contribute to the development of effective treatments for patients with prostate cancer.