Prostate Cancer, New Pathway to Target End-Stage
July 29th, 2010
There could be a breakthrough in the treatment of prostate cancer. According to a recent study by UT Southwestern Medical Center, there could be a way to block an enzymatic steps which allow tumors to produce androgens. This could halt the growth of the tumor.
Considering that nearly 2 million men in the US have prostate cancer, and that 27,000 died in 2009, figuring out a way to treat end-stage cancers could become crucial and pivotal in saving lives. Blocking the androgen response allowed researchers to stop the growth of the tumor.
According to Dr. Sharifi, an investigator in UT Southwestern’s Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, “Enzymes in general can make great drug targets, so this process conceivably could be targeted for the development of new treatments for end-stage prostate cancer, which has limited therapeutic options right now,”
Currently, end-stage tumors are treated through hormone therapy. Eventually, the tumor begins to resist the hormone therapy and it no longer works, and the tumor can resume growth.
The results of the study will be published online and in the August issue of Endocrinology. Although the new treatment isn’t available right now, the breakthrough is important in the fight against prostate cancer.
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