PROMET - Prostate cancer molecular-oriented detection and treatment of minimal residual disease (FP6-LIFESCIHEALTH) (2006-04-01 - 2010-03-31) (»add to infobox)

George N. THALMANN, Gabri VAN DER PLUIJM, Freddie HAMDY, Marc C. COLOMBEL, Dieter SCHWEIZER, Manfred HENNECKE, Marc DUPUIS, Petra ZALUD, David DEPERTHES, Walter PYERIN

UNIVERSITAET BERN (CH033 - Aargau) (Switzerland), AKADEMISCH ZIEKENHUIS LEIDEN - LEIDEN UNIVERSITAIR MEDISCH CENTRUM (NL331 - Agglomeratie Leiden en Bollenstreek) (Netherlands), THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD (UKE32 - Sheffield) (Great Britain), INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTE ET DE LA RECHERCHE MEDICALE (INSERM) (FR716 - Rhône) (France), KONTRON MEDICAL AG (CH056 - Graubünden) (Switzerland), BERTHOLD TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO KG (DE12A - Calw) (Germany), APOXIS SA (CH022 - Freiburg) (Switzerland), TP21 GMBH (DEC01 - Stadtverband Saarbrücken) (Germany), MED DISCOVERY SA (CH024 - Neuchâtel) (Switzerland), DEUTSCHES KREBSFORSCHUNGSZENTRUM HEIDELBERG (DE125 - Heidelberg, Stadtkreis) (Germany)

In the European Union ~200.000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year and that number is likely to increase due to the aging population. Because of the progress made in the treatment of the primary tumor, mortality is increasingly linked to metastatic disease, often occult (= micrometastasis or minimal residual disease) at the time of diagnosis/therapy of the primary tumor. Understanding the complex mechanisms of metastasis (circulating tumor cells - micrometastasis - metastasis) at the molecular and physiological level is crucial for successful detection of minimal residual disease and for evolving possible strategies for the prevention of their development into overt metastasis. In this project we propose to elucidate the mechanisms and the signature of minimal residual disease in prostate cancer and to develop novel therapeutic approaches to prevent the development of minimal residual disease to overt metastasis. In close collaboration of basic scientists with clinical researchers the pathways of minimal residual disease will be explored using functional genomics and expression profiling as technology platforms, advanced experimental models of minimal residual disease using bioluminescence, multiphoton microscopy, nanotechnology and optoacoustic technology for detection and treatment. Innovative imaging and therapeutic strategies developed by the industry and selected for their potential to enhance detection and eradicate minimal residual disease will be tested in preclinical models for subsequent clinical evaluation. The goal is to identify at least 2 signal transduction targets and to develop a diagnostic test for the detection of thepresence of minimal residual disease and to define a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of this disease in prostate cancer. Thus, earlier detection and disease-specific treatment may decrease morbidity and mortality and ultimately have an impact on socio-economical costs.

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