Prostate Cancer Therapeutics, Quality of Life, and Outcomes Research

Research Team:  Bennett, Bergan, Kibbe, Kuzel, Lee, MacVicar, McVary, Schaeffer, Shevrin, Volpert

There is a desperate need for novel therapies to treat metastatic prostate cancer. Although androgen ablation therapy is initially effective for patients with metastatic prostate cancer, patients eventually relapse with androgen-refractory prostate cancer. To prolong the life of patients with advanced prostate cancer, the members of the Prostate Cancer Program are developing novel therapeutic approaches. One promising therapy is based on angiogenesis inhibitors (MacVicar, Volpert). Angiogenesis inhibitors block the blood supply of prostate tumors, leading to the regression or growth arrest of prostate tumors. Another approach being explored is direct modulation of prostate cell adhesion to prevent metastasis formation (Bergan). This is derived from a novel finding in the laboratory that genistein enhances cell adhesion of prostate cancer cells. Clinical and laboratory investigations are ongoing. Gene therapies based on TGF-beta signaling pathways are also being explored (Kuzel, Lee). The possible complementation of these novel therapeutic approaches with the conventional therapeutic modalities will be pursued (Bergan, Kuzel, Schaeffer, Shevrin). One of the critical issues in prostate cancer patient care is the quality of life including urinary function, sexual function, bowel function, pain, and nutrition. Members of the Prostate Cancer Program are conducting population based outcome research in prostate cancer (Bennett, Shevrin). One of the major quality of life issue is post-radical prostatectomy erectile dysfunction (pRP-ED). Molecular mechanism of pRP-ED are being investigated (McVary), which may lead to novel approaches for intervention and prevention of pRP-ED.

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