Scientists in the Cancer Epidemiology Unit in Oxford Population Health are launching an ambitious effort to better understand what causes prostate cancer by analysing proteins in the blood and tumour tissue. They will use this knowledge to inform strategies to prevent prostate cancer developing.
The programme, known as Prostate Cancer Aetiology and Prevention (PCAP), will combine large population studies with cutting-edge laboratory and data science techniques to identify biological signals linked to the disease, particularly its most aggressive forms.
Prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in men worldwide and a leading cause of cancer deaths, yet there are currently no proven strategies to prevent it. While many cases remain slow-growing, others become life-threatening, and researchers say understanding why is key.
“We need to move beyond simply treating prostate cancer to understanding how it develops in the first place,” said Professor Ruth Travis, one of the programme leads. “By identifying the proteins and biological pathways involved, we hope to open up entirely new opportunities for prevention.”
The team will analyse thousands of proteins circulating in the blood using large-scale prospective cohorts such as UK Biobank and the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Importantly, given the higher risk of black men to get prostate cancer compared to other ethnicities, the team will generate new data in African American populations in the Multiethnic Cohort Study, with a focus on aggressive cancer.
Early findings have already highlighted several proteins linked to cancer risk, including those involved in the immune system. Researchers will then perform detailed studies of these proteins in tumour tissue, in collaboration with Professor Ian Mills (Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences), to understand how these they influence cancer development. They will also develop ways to identify men at high risk of prostate cancer that could potentially benefit from a preventive intervention, combining genetic information, medical history and protein biomarkers.
“Prostate cancer prevention has lagged behind other major cancers,” said Dr Karl Smith-Byrne, co-lead of the programme. “This research is about building the evidence base we need to change that. We can then identify who is most at risk and intervene earlier.”
If successful, the programme could lay the groundwork for future “precision prevention” trials aimed at reducing the number of prostate cancer cases and deaths, offering hope for more proactive approaches to tackling the disease.