Prostate Cancer Screening, Treatment Effective With Glycan Sugar Groups

Prostate cancer treatments from English researchers have identified useful genes. The newly identified group of genes may be important for testing and treating prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer cells contain glycan sugar groups on its surface, which researchers have found out to react to changes in testosterone levels. The reaction of prostate cancer cells to testosterone levels allows the cancer cells to flourish and metastasize.

The researchers of Newcastle University reported that the reaction may prove as a good treatment target, Science Daily reported. Research Associate at the Institute of Genetic Medicine in Newcastle University, Dr. Jennifer Munkley, along with Professor David Elliot lead the research project on prostate cancer that started three years ago.

Head of Research Funding at Prostate Cancer UK, Simon Grieveson said that there is an increasing need for more treatments and alternatives to men who suffer from advanced prostate cancer. Grieveson also said that in order to develop future treatments, it was mandatory to look into the genetic makeup of prostate cancer cells and what aggravates them. He said that the study is young and still has a long way to go before being used in the future as a treatment.

RNA sequencing was done on a prostate cancer cell line and seven prostate cancer patients. The researchers did the sequencing to identify 700 clinically relevant genes known to be affected by testosterone.

Researchers observed responses of androgen stimulation in cultures and androgen deprivation in patients. The researchers found the glycan groups that responded and may contribute to the long half life of prostate cancer cells. Dr. Munkley claims that their study on identifying important molecules in prostate cancer can one day be therapeutically targeted, UPI reported.

Meanwhile, glycan sugars have been targeted for treatment like breast cancer. The research results concluded that using glycan sugars can also be applied for prostate cancer. Future treatment of prostate cancer using glycan sugars may aid doctors in deciding what treatment prostate cancer patients should undergo. Prostate cancer may be treatable in the future. A prostate cancer cell differs from one another greatly. Future studies from the researchers may look into the aspect of using glycans for personalized treatment plans.