Program 03 Prostate Cancer

Dana-Farber Cancer Inst, Boston MA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

Prostate Cancer Program Project Summary / Abstract The Prostate Cancer Program seeks to improve outcomes for all prostate cancer patients by bringing together a multidisciplinary team of investigators across the DF/HCC consortium to catalyze and accelerate research leading to clinical benefit. A founding premise of the Program is that genuine progress in the management of prostate cancer requires iterative fundamental discovery through research in model systems and in patient- derived samples, clinical translation, and subsequent analysis of patient-derived clinical samples to assess mechanisms of action and sensitivity or resistance in vivo. The Program harnesses CCSG structures and resources to achieve this iterative cycle. Additionally, the Program addresses the diversity of our catchment area (Massachusetts) and pays particular attention to training the next generation of basic and clinical investigators across the consortium. The Program’s 66 members (42 primary and 24 secondary) represent seven DF/HCC institutions and 11 academic departments. In 2019, peer-reviewed grant funding attributed to the Program was $2.6 million in direct costs from the NCI and $3.4 million from other sponsors. During the current funding period, primary Program members published 840 cancer-relevant papers. Of these, 27% were inter-institutional, 30% were intra-programmatic, and 31% were inter-programmatic collaborations between two or more DF/HCC members. To achieve the Program mission, our Specific Aims for the next CCSG funding period are to 1) Improve detection and early treatment of aggressive prostate cancer; 2) Identify mechanisms of resistance to current therapies and identify further targetable vulnerabilities; and 3) Exploit tumor specific vulnerabilities through biomarker driven clinical trials that include diverse patient populations. The disproportionate burden of prostate cancer on African American men underlies key elements of each Aim, which therefore depend in part on the Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) functions of the Cancer Center. In addition, Program members rely heavily on Center collaborative and clinical trials structures and shared resources.