Three new important clues about the treatment and progression of
prostate cancer will be unveiled at The Prostate Cancer Charity's
National Prostate Cancer Research Conference in London.
Speaking at the Conference, will be Professor Gail Risbridger
from the Prostate and Breast Cancer Research Group, Monash
University, Australia, who will highlight the success her team is
having in piloting a new treatment for men living with the advanced
stages of prostate cancer. Professor Risbridger will explain
how the team are taking a novel approach, using the female hormone,
oestrogen, to treat the disease when it no longer responds to
existing treatments.
Professor Risbridger explains: "Many treatments for prostate
cancer focus on blocking the male sex hormone to slow down, or even
stop the disease from progressing. We know this approach is not
always enough, and this new research shows that oestrogen may also
have a part to play in treating the disease. Together with existing
treatments, this new approach could be very effective in giving men
living with advanced prostate cancer a new treatment option, where
treatment options are currently limited."
Also being unveiled at the Conference will be research led by
Professor Robert Thomas, at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge,
which suggests that men who are overweight or smokers, are more
likely to experience side effects from treatment, such as urinary
incontinence or erectile dysfunction, than their more active
counterparts - suggesting that a healthy lifestyle including
regular and exercise is key to men making a good recovery from
treatments and having a better quality of life.
Professor Thomas, explains: "This research tells us that
exercise should be regarded as part of the advice given to men
after treatment for prostate cancer. We hope that this evidence
will help motivate professionals and health commissioners to expand
the National Exercise referral scheme to include men with prostate
cancer."
Dr. Yong-Jie Lu and his team at Queen Mary University of London,
will also present the results of their research which has uncovered
some interesting genetic clues about the origins of prostate cancer
in British and Chinese men, as part of their work to understand why
men from Asian countries have lower rates of prostate cancer than
men living in Western countries.
Using techniques that take a snapshot of all prostate cancer
genes in tissues from British and Chinese men, the researchers will
show that the PTEN and ERG genes - genes which have been shown to
be switched off or altered in many other prostate cancer studies -
are more likely to be present in British than Chinese men. Dr. Lu
and his team will highlight that these finds are critical in
helping to identify some of the key genetic changes in Western men
which are far less common in Chinese men, and which could lead to
the development of prostate cancer.
Commenting on his findings, Dr. Lu said: "The incidence and
mortality rates of prostate cancer can vary dramatically in
different countries and our research has revealed some significant
genetic differences in prostate cancer between Chinese and Western
men. This suggests that other factors, such as diet - which is
traditionally different between these two cultures - could
contribute to these genetic changes that occur in the development
of prostate cancer. We hope that further studies will help to
improve our knowledge and ability to prevent and control the growth
of prostate cancer in men."
Commenting on the research presented at The Prostate Cancer
Charity's National Research Conference, Owen Sharp, Chief
Executive, said: "It is extremely encouraging to see so many
exciting new research projects being presented today.
Traditionally, prostate cancer research has been subject to an
ongoing lack of investment, which we are only now beginning to
redress. The Prostate Cancer Charity is dedicated to challenging
this injustice to ensure that expanding our knowledge of this
disease receives its rightful place on the research agenda. It is
my hope that investment in prostate cancer research continues to
grow so that we can build upon these important foundations to
deliver real benefit to men and their families affected by the
disease."