Why we funded it
Professor Habib has already demonstrated the power of NO in
killing prostate cancer cells. The project has the potential to
provide a drug that makes prostate cancer tumours more sensitive to
radiotherapy. Such a drug would increase the effectiveness of
current radiotherapy treatments.
Note: Nitric oxide (NO) should not be confused
with nitrous oxide (N2O), the laughing gas used for
anaesthesia.
Scientific title: The use of nitric oxide as a
radiosensitiser of hypoxic prostate cancer.
Research project summary
Cancerous prostate cells can adapt to live with the low levels
of oxygen found inside tumours. This has the effect of making them
more resistant to treatments. For example, effective radiotherapy
requires normal oxygen levels.
Professor Habib has shown that nitric oxide (NO) can be used to
help radiotherapy kill prostate cancer cells. This project will
look at different ways of getting NO in to prostate cancer cells.
These include drugs with NO attached that are already in
development for other purposes and safe for human use. Professor
Habib will also be investigating how the NO helps the radiation to
kill prostate cancer cells.