The hypothesis of the study is that changes identified in the genomic/epigenomic/transcriptional landscape of prostate cancer drives progression of localised disease, and can be used to prognosticate natural history, design better treatments and
predict therapeutic response. Our specific aims are:
To develop a prostate tissue-based and plasma test to predict the natural history of clinically
localised prostate cancer
To develop a tissue based prognostic test that:
identifies a genomic driver of localised prostate cancer
is specific for African-Ancestry
identifies key drivers of disease metastasis
To develop a plasma based ctDNA test to identify high risk features
To conduct decision making analysis that will support treatment de-escalation
To develop new treatment approaches to high-risk disease that improve patient outcomes via
the establishment of:
Androgen deprivation and erdafitinib pre-prostatectomy trial (ADEPT study)
Immune mobilisation for prostate cancer study (IMPROvE)
To develop companion biomarkers that predict response to systemic treatments in high risk disease
To validate a compound tumour suppressor signature
To validate the genomic marker of androgen sensitivity
The research program runs from July 2019 to June 2022.
A successful program will significantly impact the clinical management of men with localised prostate cancer by:
Allowing identification of men with lethal disease earlier in the natural history, providing the opportunity for treatment intensification.
Providing reassurance to a proportion of men with localised disease for whom treatment is currently recommended, that treatment intensification is unnecessary, or indeed, that radical treatment can be avoided.
Developing new multimodal strategies for treating patients with lethal disease at an early stage, to maximise long-term disease control and minimise morbidity.
Validating a number of biomarkers that may predict response to systemic therapies, permitting individualisation of patient care.