| ENDOTHELIAL
PROGENITOR CELLS AND CIRCULATING ENDOTHELIAL CELLS IN PROSTATE
CANCER.
Dr. Andrew Blann, Professor GYH Lip, Mr.P.Ryan University of Birmingham |
A major feature of prostate cancer is that the tumour needs new blood vessels to feed it. How this process happens is unclear but the researchers think it possible that at least part of this process comes about by “seeding” of blood vessel cells from the bone marrow or from other blood vessels that move into the tumour. In all cancers there is increasing evidence that so-called “angiogenesis” is important in the development of the cancer. This is the ability of the tumour to stimulate the body into providing it with a blood supply. Recently two different cell populations, “endothelial progenitor cells” (EPC’s) and “circulating endothelial cells” (CEC’s) have been described in various cancers but not in prostatic cancer. This research will look at whether or not these cells are present in prostate cancer, and if they are, whether, or not, it presents a new avenue for treatment of advanced disease.
Research proposal summary dated 19 May 2006
Project 2005/13