Last Sunday, June 11, marked World Prostate Cancer Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about this disease and its risk factors, and to promoting the importance of early detection as a prevention method.
According to data published in the study “Cancer Figures in Spain 2023” by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM), prostate cancer is expected to be the fourth most diagnosed tumor in Spain in 2023, with 29,002 cases. For this reason, on that same day, through FERO’s social media channels, we emphasized the importance of maintaining a varied and healthy diet. It has been proven that high consumption of high-fat dairy products, processed meat, refined cereals, sweets, caloric beverages, pre-cooked foods, and sauces increases the risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
Furthermore, the researchers who are part of the FERO family are committed to finding answers and pathways that bring us closer to eradicating any type of cancer as a cause of death, and prostate cancer is the subject of several projects funded by FERO. Would you like to learn about them? Keep reading!
IRONMAN: International Registry for Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer
Funded in Spain by the Movember Foundation and the FERO Foundation. Coordinators: VHIO and CNIO.
The IRONMAN project aims to create the first international registry of men diagnosed with prostate cancer in order to collect information about the type of tumor these patients have, the treatment they receive, and its possible side effects. The data allow for analysis of differences in medical practice patterns across different regions, countries, and cultures, enabling researchers and clinicians to have more information to understand the characteristics of each tumor. The ultimate goal is to identify the most appropriate treatment for each patient in order to improve their quality of life and life expectancy. The project aims to enroll 5,000 patients worldwide, of which 500 will be Spanish. Between 10 and 12 hospitals across Spain are participating in this project, including 4-5 centers in Barcelona. At the local level, IRONMAN will also facilitate the creation of a tumor sample bank from Spanish patients that will enable continued future research efforts.
Novel Approaches to Liquid Biopsy in Prostate Cancer to Inform Precision Medicine
With the support of the Ramón Areces Foundation. XVI FERO Grant Dr. Joaquín Mateo, researcher at the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO).
The project focuses on discovering whether a liquid biopsy analysis that integrates circulating tumor cells (CTC), circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), and exosome tumor DNA (exoDNA) is effective as a non-invasive prognostic and predictive method in prostate cancer. This research seeks to contribute to improving clinical outcomes in patients through more precise and personalized care based on the study of prostate cancer evolution through non-invasive analyses, overcoming the limitations of obtaining repeated tumor biopsies to determine tumor evolution in each patient.
Exploiting Therapy-Induced Senescence in a Synthetic Lethal Approach to Treat Advanced Prostate Cancer
With the support of the Ramón Areces Foundation. XX FERO Grant Dr. Nicolás Herranz, from the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO).
This research seeks to establish new therapeutic strategies for patients with advanced prostate cancer, based on the ability of some current therapies to induce senescence in cancer cells (the aging process of cells until they stop dividing, but without dying). The conversion of tumor cells into senescent cells is initially beneficial for patients, since, although they remain alive, they are unable to proliferate. However, we know that if these senescent cells persist over time, they can eventually contribute to tumors becoming resistant to therapy and growing again.
The objective of this project is to find new drugs or combinations that neutralize senescent cells and thus prevent certain types of therapy resistance in the context of prostate cancer.
Targeting PGC1α-Driven Transcriptional Landscape for Personalized Prostate Cancer Therapy
With the support of the Bosch Aymerich Foundation. XX FERO Grant Dr. Verónica Torrano, from the University of the Basque Country.
The study focuses on understanding how an aggressive prostate cancer linked to the loss of the transcription regulator PGC1α acts at the genetic and biological level. This oncogene transcription regulator can slow tumor growth, reducing its aggressiveness and increasing the natural immune response capacity.
The objective of the project is to understand how PGC1α acts, discover traits of aggressiveness in patients affected by this type of tumor based on the anti-tumor function of PGC1α, and develop new therapies that, in combination with oncogene inhibitor treatments, enhance that immune response.
