This is a request for conference grant funding of a Prouts Neck meeting on prostate cancer which is planned to be held on October 21-24, 1999 at the Black Point Inn in Prouts Neck, Maine. The Prouts Neck meetings on prostate cancer have become internationally renowned for their overall excellence in terms of defining basic research approaches to the treatment, prevention and control of this disease. This, the 8th Prouts Neck meeting, will follow the successfully proven format of assembling leading authorities and new investigators who will address today's most challenging, unresolved problems in the field of prostate cancer, ranging from prevention and early diagnosis of those lesions which will become clinically significant to new approaches of finding effective treatment for metastatic disease which has become hormone refractory. One the principal objectives of the meeting proposed in this application is to have senior investigators in the field present what they perceive to be the most important basic and clinical research challenges for the next generation of prostate cancer researchers to address. Accordingly, high priority is placed on the inclusion of young investigators in this meeting. Basic and clinical investigators will be afforded the opportunity to exchange new data, technology and ideas in both formal and informal settings. The conference will begin with four overview lectures which will pose research challenges to the young investigators. Seven ensuing sessions emphasizing etiology and prevention, gene therapy, markers, diagnostic imaging, cell biology, hormones and growth factors will be led off by overview lectures from senior investigators, followed by podium presentations by young investigators, question/answer periods and panel discussions. The goals of the conference will be to: 1.) Define the 21st Century challenges and opportunities for prostate cancer research. 2.) To encourage young and established investigators to focus their research endeavors on prostate cancer by defining high priority, unresolved basic and clinical issues and discussing approaches of investigation. 3.) Encourage multidisciplinary analysis of current data relevant to the biology, prevention and management of prostate cancer. 4.) To identify research opportunities, approaches and resources needed to develop new preventative, diagnostic and treatment approaches for prostate cancer. 5.) To promote research and encourage collaborative studies which will focus diversified expertise and resources on priority topics relevant to prostate cancer. 6.) To publish a summary of the conference in an appropriate journal. Given the high incidence and mortality of prostate cancer which will only increase with the aging of the American population (the number of men over the age of 60 will have tripled by the year 2020), a meeting of this nature is extremely important and timely. Invited young scientists who are relatively new to the field of prostate cancer research will play central roles in this meeting. While there will be other meetings on prostate cancer, the approach and theme for this conference are both timely and unique.
