Project 458299

As of 2019, 1 in 9 Canadian men are estimated to be diagnosed with prostate cancer (PCa) in their lifetime, which represents the most common cancer diagnosis in Canadian men and fourth most common cancer diagnosis in Canada. One of the major remaining clinical problems with PCa is the inability to predict whether a primary tumour will become metastatic. While some tumours can quickly become aggressive and metastatic, others can remain "dormant" and localized to the prostate, negating the need for treatment. However, once a PCa tumour metastasizes, prognosis is poor making metastatic PCa a lethal disease that remains incurable. Understanding the variability in the clinical behaviour of tumours has been a research endeavour for the last decade, but it still remains unsolved. My research aims to identify genes that could help predict metastatic PCa early and improve patient prognosis. To do this, I am using a genetic screen to identify genes that are involved in controlling the metastatic process of PCa. The findings from my research will directly contribute to the understanding on the behaviour of PCa tumours in the clinic. Additionally, my findings can serve as a basis for the development of new biomarkers that allow metastatic PCa to be detect early, before the tumour has the chance to begin the metastatic process. This will allow patients to receive the best treatment options earlier on to improve their prognosis and survival. Early detection is important because treatment options are limited once the tumour has begun to metastasize. Furthermore, the genes that I identify in my research could be used as a basis for the development of new drugs for metastatic PCa. This research hopes to help improve the outlook many Canadian men suffering from metastatic PCa as they fight this incredibly deadly disease.