Prostate Cell News Volume 2.07 | Feb 25 2011

Personalised Medicine Comes Within Reach
A team of biologists, clinical oncologists, pathologists and information scientists has established a strategy for identifying biomarkers. If a particular pattern of these biomarkers can be detected in the blood, this indicates a cancerous disease. [Press release from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich discussing online prepublication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA]

Change in PSA Level does not Predict Prostate Cancer
Researchers have found that change in PSA levels over time is a poor predictor of prostate cancer and may lead to many unnecessary biopsies. [Press release from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center discussing online prepublication in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute]

Active Biotech’s TASQ Prostate Cancer Project Presented at 2011 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium
The presentation included an update on data from a randomized placebo-controlled double blind clinical Phase II study of TASQ – an oral antiangiogenic agent with S100A9 as a molecular target – in patients with asymptomatic metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. [Press release from Active Biotech discussing data presented at the 2011 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium]

Progenics Reports Positive Preliminary Data from Ongoing Phase 1 Clinical Study of PSMA ADC
Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. reported positive preliminary data from an ongoing Phase I study of PSMA ADC, an antibody-drug conjugate designed to selectively deliver chemotherapy to cells that express prostate-specific membrane antigen. [Press release from Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. discussing data presented at the 2011 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium]

New Drug May Help Men with Hard-To-Treat Prostate Cancer
An investigational drug called abiraterone acetate can prolong survival of men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer whose disease is progressing after receiving docetaxel-based chemotherapy, according to new findings. [Press release from Renal and Urology News discussing data presented at the 2011 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium]

Treatment Zaps Prostate Cancer With Sound
Tulane University School of Medicine urologist Dr. Benjamin R. Lee is conducting a clinical trial of a new, incisionless technique to remove prostate cancer in patients whose cancer has returned following radiation treatment. [Tulane University Press Release]

LABORATORY RESEARCH

Cancer Genetics-Guided Discovery of Serum Biomarker Signatures for Diagnosis and Prognosis of Prostate Cancer
Scientists describe a two-stage strategy for the discovery of serum biomarker signatures corresponding to specific cancer-causing mutations and its application to prostate cancer in the context of the commonly occurring phosphatase and tensin homolog tumor-suppressor gene inactivation. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA]

Peroxiredoxin 1 Controls Prostate Cancer Growth through Toll-Like Receptor 4-Dependent R egulation of Tumor Vasculature
Researchers show that peroxiredoxin 1 is overexpressed in human prostate cancer specimens and that it regulates prostate tumor growth through toll-like receptor 4-dependent regulation of prostate tumor vasculature. [Cancer Res]

Systematic Analysis of MicroRNAs Targeting the Androgen Receptor in Prostate Cancer Cells
To systematically characterize mechanisms involving microRNAs (miRNAs), investigators conducted a gain-of function screen of 1129 miRNA molecules in a panel of human prostate cancer cell lines and quantified changes in androgen receptor protein content using protein lysate microarrays. [Cancer Res]

Prostate Cancer Predisposition Loci and Risk of Metastatic Disease and Prostate Cancer Recurrence
Single nucleotide polymorphisms in MSMB and 8q24 which predispose to prostate cancer overall are associated with risk for metastatic prostate cancer. [Clin Cancer Res]

Inhibition of Prostate Cancer Osteoblastic Progression with VEGF₁₂₁/rGel, a Single Agent Targeting Osteoblasts, Osteoclasts, and Tumor Neovasculature
Scientists previously reported that VEGF₁₂₁/rGel targets osteoclast precursors and tumor neovasculature. Here, they tested the hypothesis that targeting non-tumor cells expressing these receptors can inhibit tumor progression in a clinically relevant model of osteoblastic prostate cancer. [Clin Cancer Res]

Arachidonic Acid Pathway Members PLA2G7, HPGD, EPHX2, and CYP4F8 Identified as Putative Novel Therapeutic Targets in Prostate Cancer
Investigators identified four novel putative therapeutic targets with biomarker potential for different subtypes of prostate cancer. [Am J Pathol]

Identification of Clinically Relevant Protein Targets in Prostate Cancer with 2D-DIGE Coupled Mass Spectrometry and Systems Biology Network Platform
Researchers compared the individual protein expression patterns from histologically characterized prostate cancer and the surrounding benign tissue obtained by manual micro dissection using highly sensitive two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) coupled with mass spectrometry. [PLoS One]

TRPV6 Determines the Effect of Vitamin D3 on Prostate Cancer Cell Growth
Scientists demonstrate that in low steroid conditions 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 upregulates the expression of TRPV6, enhances the proliferation by increasing the number of cells entering into S-phase. [PLoS One]

Expression Profile of WNT Molecules in Prostate Cancer and its Regulation by Aminobisphosphonates
Since the WNT signaling pathway regulates bone remodeling and has been implicated in tumor progression and osteomimicry, investigators analyzed the WNT profile of primary prostate cancer (PCa) tissues and PCa cell lines and assessed its regulation by bisphosphonates. [J Cell Biochem]

CLINICAL RESEARCH

An Empirical Evaluation of Guidelines on Prostate-specific Antigen Velocity in Prostate Cancer Detection
Scientists found no evidence to support the recommendation that men with high prostate-specific antigen velocity should be biopsied in the absence of other indications; this measure should not be included in practice guidelines. [J Natl Cancer Inst]

Association Between Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Gene for XRCC1 and Radiation-Induced Late Toxicity in Prostate Cancer Patients
The purpose of the present prospective investigation was to evaluate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) with radiation-induced late side effects in prostate cancer patients treated with radiotherapy. [Radiother Oncol]

GTx Provides Corporate Update and Reports 2010 Financial Results
GTx, Inc. provided a company update and reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2010. [GTx, Inc. Press Release]

Exelixis Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2010 Financial Results
Exelixis, Inc. reported financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2010. [Exelixis, Inc. Press Release]

Exelixis Shares Rise After Report on Cancer Drug
Shares of the biotechnology company Exelixis Inc. climbed after the company announced positive interim results from a mid-stage study of a potential prostate cancer treatment. [Bloomberg]

Q Chip Successfully Reports Preclinical Studies with Therapeutic Cancer Peptides Using Innovative Drug Delivery Platform
Q Chip Ltd announced it has successfully completed preclinical studies with formulations of two leading therapeutic cancer peptides. [Q Chip Ltd Press Release]

Scientists Investigate Possible Key to Non-Invasive Prostate Testing
MicroRNAs could hold the key to non-invasive screening for prostate cancer. The project will establish if microRNA collected from body fluids can signal the early stages of the disease. [University of Technology Sydney Press Release]

National Institutes of Health (United States)

Food and Drug Administration (United States)

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)

European Medicines Agency (European Union)

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

NEW 2nd American Association for Cancer Research Conference on Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research
September 14-18, 2011
San Francisco, United States

NEW American Association for Cancer Research Translation of the Cancer Genome: Scientific, Clinical, and Operational Challenges
October 15-18, 2011
San Francisco, United States

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