The Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center Prostate Cancer Program is a scientifically broad-based multidisciplinary program connecting 81 members from all seven DF/HCC institutions of the consortium and ten departments of HMS and two departments of HSPH. The Program is led by P. Kantoff(DFCI). It is co-led by two clinical investigators: M. Sanda(BIDMC) and M. Smith (MGH). The leadership has created a nurturing environment for established and junior investigators alike and a productive environment within which interdisciplinary collaborations among basic, translational, and clinical investigators can occur. The expertise within the Program is broad, and the high caliber of the clinicians, basic scientists, translational scientists and population scientists makes for a richly interactive community for collaboration. Program members have published 899 reports in peer-reviewed journals over the past five years, of which 19% were intra-programmatic, 39% inter-programmatic, and 28% inter-institutional. Member funding in the area of prostate cancertotals more than $23.6 million in calendar year 2009, including $13.3 million from the NCI and $4.8 million from other peer-reviewed sponsors. The Program has been approved and funded by the CCSG since the founding of DF/HCC. At the time of the last CCSG renewal, the Prostate Cancer Program received an Excellent merit score.
The Specific Aims of the Prostate Cancer Program are to: 1. Define and characterize germline genetic variations, somatic mutations as well as environmental factors leading to the pathogenesis and identification of """"""""aggressive"""""""" prostate cancer. 2. Develop a better understanding of androgen signaling and develop therapies directed at this pathway while minimizing side effects. 3. Improve prostate cancer treatment through better use of individual clinical and molecular characteristics to select or refine treatment, and by the introduction of genetically-based and other novel therapeutic strategies.
Prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer mortality in men in the United States. The DF/HCC Prostate Cancer Program seeks to understand the pathogenesis and mechanisms of disease progression, to identify which men have aggressive prostate cancer and need to be treated, and to determine what constitutes optimal treatment for men with localized as well as advanced disease.
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