Whenever news of a promising development in prostate cancer
research is reported, the hopes of many men with prostate cancer
and their family members are raised.
It is important to remember, though, that a treatment which has
been successful in the laboratory or in animals must be tested very
carefully in humans, and this process can often take years.
The information below offers some advice for interpreting news
about medical research. There are descriptions of the different
kinds of scientific studies you might hear about, and what they
will mean to you. There is also a section on how to interpret
statistics about risk in news reports, and some questions to ask
yourself when reading about developments in prostate cancer
research.
Understanding media stories on research
Media reports on research can often be confusing. It is quite
common for the media to make risk factors sound more dramatic or
potential benefits sound more promising. It's important to be
critical when reading or listening to reports of new medical
findings. First of all, an understanding of the different types of
research would be useful.
Types of research
There are 4 main types of research:
- Basic
- Translational
- Clinical
- Psychosocial/Survivorship
It is important to know that any information about medical
research in the media may not apply to you and it is best to
discuss any issues with healthcare professionals.
Some questions that can help you understand how relevant
a media story is to you include:
- Was the study in cells, animals or people?
- Did the study include men with prostate cancer?
- Where was the research being done?
- If a new treatment was being tested, were there side
effects?
Further information
Basic Research
Basic Research means looking at small
'cultures' of cells from humans, or even at microscopic organisms
like bacteria, viruses or yeasts. Experiments like this which take
place in a test tube or Petri dish are called "in
vitro" experiments. They can help scientists to understand how
cells work, and what goes wrong with them to cause disease in
humans. To see examples of basic research that we have funded,
select Basic on the filter menu
under Type of Research on the Funded
Research page.
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Translational Research
Translational Research involves scientists
looking to develop a treatment for a disease like prostate cancer,
they will first test the effects of promising drugs on prostate
cancer cells that have been removed from patients. Before
scientists can test whether a new drug or treatment will work in
humans, they must first prove that it is safe in animals. This is
required under law, and serves to protect people from being given
dangerous treatments. In these types of in
vivo experiments animal models are used to understand how
a disease and a drug to treat it works. To see examples of
translational research that we have funded,
select Translational on the filter menu
under Type of Research on the Funded
Research page. For more information on the use of animals
in medical research please look at our FAQ page.
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Clinical Research
Clinical Research involves testing drugs,
treatments and tests on men with prostate cancer once it has been
determined that this is safe following experiments with animals.
Some treatments which involve less harmful, practical solutions
such as use of counselling or exercise are trialled immediately on
humans. For testing of new drugs, clinical trials are used, which
are a series of studies beginning with a very small group of
people, and can take place over many years before products are
licensed for use. Read more about Clinical
Trials. To see examples of clinical research we have funded,
select Clinical on the filter menu
under Type of Research on the Funded
Research page.
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Psychosocial/Survivorship
Research
Psychosocial/Survivorship Research looks
at how diagnosis and treatment of cancer affects patients, their
families and carers. It looks at how improvements can be made in
how health professionals communicate to patients and how they and
their families are supported. It also examines the long-term side
effects of treatments such as surgery and drugs on men and their
families, and how improvements can be made to the way support and
care is provided. Psychological, physical and social problems
result from treatment and reduce quality of life for cancer
sufferers. Survivorship research is about
helping survivors of cancer, that is men
living with and beyond prostate cancer, and aims to help men and
their families to deal with prostate cancer, its treatments and
life after cancer. To see examples of psychosocial/survivorship
research we have funded,
select Survivorship on the filter menu
under Type of Research on the Funded
Research page.
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Was the study in cells, animals or
people?
The results of research in people are most likely to be
meaningful for you. The earliest stages of prostate cancer research
are carried out in small 'cultures' of cells. If you hear about
positive results in cells, it is important to remember that the
treatment must next be tested in animals, and then enter into
clinical trials in humans.
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Did the study include men with
prostate cancer?
Often cancer treatments are reported to have been successful in
clinical trials, and the article suggests that they may be able to
treat a number of cancers, including prostate cancer. While this
may sound promising, it is important to remember that before a
treatment can be given to men with prostate cancer, it must first
go through the clinical trial phases, which could take years.
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Where was the research being
done?
If the research has been conducted outside of the UK, it might
be that the drug would first become available abroad. This is
because different countries have different authorities which allow
a drug to be marketed.
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If a new treatment was being
tested, were there side effects?
If the news was reporting a clinical trial, it is important to
know whether the trial found side effects. Serious side effects
might slow the clinical trial process down, as researchers would
have to return to the first stages with any changes they make to a
treatment.
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