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FORNY20-FORNY2020

KVAL: Prostate cancer classifier

Awarded: NOK 0.50 mill.

Project Number:

338284

Project Period:

2022 - 2023

Funding received from:

Organisation:

Prostate cancer is the leading cancer in Norway, with approximately 1000 deaths annually. Most patients have non-metastatic cancer, and surgical removal of the prostate gland is a common treatment. Unfortunately, a significant number of patients experience disease relapse, highlighting the need for improved prognostic tests to identify those at the highest risk and offer adjuvant treatment options. Molecular tests are being developed for many cancer types to predict prognosis using cancer tissue. However, for prostate cancer, this development of such tests is more complicated, as most patients have multiple tumour focus in the prostate gland. To investigate this heterogeneity, we analysed RNA expression in multiple tumour samples per patient. Our results demonstrate significant internal variation within each patient. This highlights the importance of identifying the most aggressive tumour focus in each patient to adapt treatment accordingly. Moreover, research on prostate cancer should include multiple biopsies per patient since single biopsies are rarely representative of the whole disease. Yet, we have identified a set of 16 genes with stable prognostic value, independently of the tumour focus biopsied. The objective of the further work with this project is to find a selection among these genes that can be developed into a prognostic test for prostate cancer that does not depend on which tumour, or where in the tumor the sample material is taken from. We have therefore measured the gene expression from the 16 genes in an independent cohort with several tissue samples taken for each patients. The results of the study showed that the majority of genes had a significant association with relapse. This work has been an important confirmation that we are now in a good position to develop a prognostic test for prostate cancer.

A successful good prognostic classifier aids to differentiation in follow-up and treatment: e.g. patients who are highly likely to experience relapse after prostatectomy will be identified immediately after surgery and being offered adjuvant radiation therapy, which is known to improve their outcome. Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer, hence the test has the potential to increase life quality for a substantial number of people globally. The project meets UN sustainable development goal 3; “Good health and well-being”, as efforts to improve treatment for a severe disease that will have well-being effects for patients, relatives and society overall.

Funding scheme:

FORNY20-FORNY2020