What is the science behind the project?

Many prostate cancers are fuelled by the male hormone testosterone. Men often receive treatments that block the action of testosterone and stop cancer cells growing. But unfortunately, although for many men this can be effective, after several months or years, some prostate cancers can develop resistance to the treatment. Doctors call this hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC).

HRPC is much more difficult to treat. As part of our new drug discovery initiative, Professor Mackay’s team are searching for new ways to tackle this form of cancer.

Traditional chemotherapy treatments work by killing rapidly dividing cells in the body. But this means that patients can suffer from unpleasant side effects, as healthy cells are also affected. So scientists are working hard to develop drugs that target and specifically kill cancer cells, while aiming to leave healthy cells unharmed. These so-called ‘smart drugs’, exploit subtle molecular differences in cancer cells that distinguish them from healthy cells. Scientists hope that they will provide doctors with effective new treatments that have fewer side effects.

Professor Mackay’s exciting new drug discovery programme aims to identify potential new smart drugs to treat men with HRPC. One aspect of this programme involves purifying chemicals from plants to use as a source for potential new drugs. The research team will further develop the most promising compounds for testing in future clinical trials.

Working together

In order to carry out this ambitious programme of research, Professor Mackay has pulled together a large team of doctors and scientists. These include molecular biologists, chemists, and doctors who specialise in treating men with prostate cancer. Bringing together these experts in one team combines the knowledge, skills and resources required to discover better treatments for men with hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

One of Cancer Research UK’s goals for 2020 is to develop better treatments with fewer side effects. Professor Mackay’s drug discovery programme could bring us closer to achieving this goal for men with prostate cancer.

For more information about prostate cancer you can visit our CancerHelp UK website prostate cancer pages.

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