Today, even though a number of treatments are available for advanced prostate cancer, many of these cancers eventually become resistant to treatment. Two Prostate Cancer Canada funded research teams are at the forefront of finding ways to treat advanced prostate cancers that do not respond or have stopped responding to current treatments.

Dr. Amina Zoubeidi

Dr. Zoubeidi, from the University of British Columbia, is set to change the course of a deadly form of advanced cancer, called neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), a rare but extremely aggressive type of prostate cancer without effective treatments. She and her team developed and are testing a drug they hope will be a major breakthrough. After discovering a molecule that NEPC needs to survive and spread, the team developed a first-of-its-kind drug that targets and blocks the molecule, stopping these tumours in their tracks. Her team is modifying this drug so it can be tested on humans, hopefully in the near future.

“It’s encouraging to understand how cancer evolves to become aggressive, and how we can design ways to attack these aggressive cancers,” she says.   
 

Dr. Paul Rennie

Dr. Rennie from the Vancouver Prostate Centre is leading a team developing an effective drug for men who have become resistant to other treatments. It has the potential of producing “a whole new generation of drugs to deal with hormone resistance.” The goal of this drug is that it be used alone or in combination with other therapies. The team anticipates they will start clinical trials soon. This project is so promising that it led to an additional investment by Roche, a pharmaceutical company, of up to $141 million.

Living with prostate cancer that has spread

When Thomas Maxwell had his PSA tested at 58, everything looked fine. At his next appointment three years later, his level had climbed - slightly. Four years later, his wife encouraged him to have another test.

Research into advanced forms of prostate cancer like Thomas’ will make a difference. He has been given the gift of time from the drug he currently receives, enzalutamide, which became available in the last ten years following extensive research. More successful research can give men like Thomas even more time and better quality of life.
 
Hear Thomas’ full story here.