| ANALYSIS OF THE LINKAGE BETWEEN PROTEASE FUNCTION AND THE HEPATOCYTE GROWTH FACTOR (HGF) PATHWAY IN PROSTATE CANCER.
Professor Dylan Edwards University of East Anglia |
Current treatment for prostate cancer relies on early detection of the disease and treatment of localized cancer by surgery or radiotherapy. Each has its complications. Furthermore some of the patients thought to have only localised disease relapse at a later date due to spread of the cancer from sites which were not detected at surgery. On the other hand, there is an argument which says some patients are being overtreated by surgery, or radiotherapy for disease which may not have caused any trouble.
This study looks at the molecular fingerprint of a cancer to see if this gives any clues as to its future capabilities. The work focuses on proteases, these are proteins which break down other proteins and, therefore, facilitate the spread of cancer cells. The researchers have previously identified one such group of proteins called “membrane type metalloproteinases (MT-MMP’s) and have established a link with “scatter factor”, a protein which causes cancer cells to migrate. These two proteins might identify early stages of prostate cancer, as well as more advanced disease for which treatment with surgery or radiotherapy would be futile.
As with so much other research, this work paves the way for future projects rather than provide a “black-and-white” answer at present.
Research summarised by Prostate Research Campaign UK, 05/06/2006.
Project 2002/11.