| THE ROLE OF IGIFR IN PROSTATE CANCER.
Dr Valerie M Macauley et al. John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford |
In many patients with prostate cancer the cancer spreads to the bones; causing pain, and inviting fractures. This advanced disease can be controlled by hormonal treatments. However all tumours eventually become hormone-resistant and there is no other effective treatment.
This group is looking at a protein, "insulin-like growth factor receptor" (IGFR); this enables cancer cells to grow and to resist killing. Prostate cancer cells make higher levels of this protein than normal prostate tissue.
Firstly, the researchers are trying to answer the question, "does IGFR contribute to hormone resistance?". Secondly, they are using a novel technique called "gene silencing" to block IGFR production by prostate cancer cells and to determine if this will inhibit the growth of prostate cancer in experimental models. The latter aspect is particularly exciting and we await further reports with great interest.
Summary of original research proposal dated 15 March 2005
Project 2004/05