Research we fund

Investigating how IGF increases the risk of prostate cancer

What you need to know

  • Previous research has shown an association between high blood levels of a protein called insulin-like growth factor (IGF) and an increased risk of prostate cancer.
  • Prostate Cancer UK and Movember are co-funding Dr Macaulay to examine prostate cancer samples taken from men who are being treated with an IGF blocker drug.
  • Her research will help us understand how IGF affects the cancer itself and the body’s immune system, and whether IGF-blocking drugs might boost the immune cells to attack prostate cancer.
If initial trials are positive, it’s possible that IGF blockers may become routine treatment to improve outcomes for men with localised prostate cancer.
Dr Valentine Macaulay

High IGF may prevent immune cells from fighting prostate cancer

IGF is a protein required for normal development, and men with high blood levels of IGF are more likely to develop prostate cancer. There is also evidence that IGF may weaken the immune system’s ability to fight against cancers that behave aggressively. However, it is not known exactly how IGF has these effects.

In a separate grant, we are funding Dr Macaulay to deliver a clinical trial called WINGMEN, which has recently opened to recruitment. Men with newly-diagnosed prostate cancer usually wait 4-5 weeks for prostate removal surgery; during this interval, patients will be offered 4 weeks’ treatment with an IGF blocker drug, and then have surgery in the usual way.

Building on this trial, this new grant will enable Dr Macaulay and her team to compare the routine prostate biopsy taken before treatment with samples taken during prostate surgery, to investigate the effect of the IGF-blocking drug on the body’s immune response. 

Studying the effects of IGF-blocking drugs

Dr Macaulay and her team will perform two tests on these prostate samples. The first test will investigate whether IGF (and another protein called ERG) stop immune cells from fighting the cancer, and whether the IGF blocker helps immune cells work more effectively.

The second test will identify genes that are switched on or off by the IGF blocker. This may provide clues that predict which patients are likely to benefit from IGF blockers, and which are the important genes that are affected by IGF and which may explain why high IGF makes men more likely to develop prostate cancer.

Paving the way for new treatments

By the end of this project, the team will have a better picture of the influence of IGF on the body’s immune response to prostate cancer. If successful, this project could help to improve the effectiveness of existing immune-boosting treatments, which so far have not proven beneficial in prostate cancer.

Furthermore, if IGF blockers are found to reduce signs of aggressive cancer behaviour, the team will conduct further trials in men with early-stage prostate cancer who are on active surveillance. The aim will be to see if blocking IGF can stop the cancer getting worse, and so help to avoid the need for surgery or radiotherapy in the future.

Grant information

Reference – MA-CT20-006  

Researcher – Dr Valentine Macaulay

Institution – University of Oxford

Award - £183,093.00