EDMONTON, April 30, 2014 /CNW/ - Today Prostate Cancer Canada announced a national research funding initiative aimed at identifying prostate cancer patients who need to be treated aggressively and those who do not. Three major research teams in Edmonton, Toronto and Sherbrooke will receive close to $5 million for projects that will help prevent the overtreatment of prostate cancer. This funding is made possible due to the Movember Foundation.
"These grants will help to answer the question of who to treat and who to monitor," says Rocco Rossi, President and CEO, Prostate Cancer Canada. "Within the decade men will have access to these tests and the knowledge they represent to make decisions that will maximize quality of life."
"We know that thousands of Canadian men treated for prostate cancer live with significant side effects for many years, including incontinence and lack of sexual function. These three projects hold great potential to enable more men to safely avoid treatment, and in doing so, maximize their quality of life," says Pete Bombaci, Country Director, Movember Canada. "Thanks to the committed efforts of our Mo Bros and Mo Sistas we are able to fund outstanding projects that will make an impact on the lives of men living with and beyond prostate cancer."
The research projects, known as the Movember Translation Acceleration Grants (TAG), were awarded to teams at the University of Alberta, University of Toronto and l'Université de Sherbrooke whose work in this area was already showing great potential.
"We believe this research will play an important role during the diagnosis and follow-up for prostate cancer, says Dr. John Lewis, researcher, University of Alberta. "These tests could tell us if the patient is at high risk for developing aggressive metastatic disease or if that patient's disease is in a benign state.
During the course of this grant we will translate new tests in two stages: the initial stage we hope to be available clinically within three years; a blood test will be available in 5-10 years."
Adds Dr. Robert Day, researcher, l'Université de Sherbrooke, "We have identified new methods of obtaining a more precise diagnostic than ever before. We need to put this forth so that it is validated in a clinical context."
"We want to develop a better clinical test using non-invasive methods that will distinguish up-front men with benign versus aggressive forms of disease," says Dr. Bharati Bapat, researcher, Mount Sinai Hospital. "For example, a urine-based test could eliminate the need for unnecessary, invasive biopsies."
The researchers are:
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About Prostate Cancer Canada
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer to affect Canadian men, impacting one in seven men over the course of their lifetime. Prostate Cancer Canada funds critical programs related to awareness and public education, advocacy, support of those affected, and research into the prevention, detection, treatment and cure of prostate cancer. For more information visit prostatecancer.ca and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
About Movember
Movember aims to forever change the face of men's health through the power of the moustache, by raising awareness and funds for prostate cancer, testicular cancer and men¹s mental health initiatives. Funds raised are directed to programs run directly by the Movember Foundation and our men¹s
health partners in each country. Together, the channels work to ensure that Movember funds are supporting a broad range of innovative, world-class programs in line with our strategic goals; living with and beyond cancer, staying mentally healthy, living with and beyond mental Movember.com.
Video with caption: "Video: New research to determine low-risk from high-risk prostate cancer". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20140430_C5788_VIDEO_EN_39786.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20140430_C5788_PHOTO_EN_39786.jpg&clientName=Prostate%20Cancer%20Canada&caption=Video%3A%20New%20research%20to%20determine%20low%2Drisk%20from%20high%2Drisk%20prostate%20cancer&title=PROSTATE%20CANCER%20CANADA%20%2D%20New%20research%20to%20determine%20low%2Drisk%20from%20high%2Drisk%20prostate%20cancer&headline=New%20research%20to%20determine%20low%2Drisk%20from%20high%2Drisk%20prostate%20cancer
Video with caption: "Video: Prostate Cancer Canada B Roll reel". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20140430_C5788_VIDEO_EN_39787.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20140430_C5788_PHOTO_EN_39787.jpg&clientName=Prostate%20Cancer%20Canada&caption=Video%3A%20Prostate%20Cancer%20Canada%20B%20Roll%20reel&title=PROSTATE%20CANCER%20CANADA%20%2D%20New%20research%20to%20determine%20low%2Drisk%20from%20high%2Drisk%20prostate%20cancer&headline=New%20research%20to%20determine%20low%2Drisk%20from%20high%2Drisk%20prostate%20cancer
SOURCE: Prostate Cancer Canada
Elissa Freeman
Toronto
416. 565. 5605
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Holly Roy
Western Canada
Cell: 780.991.2323
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Brigitte Filiatrault
Quebec/New Brunswick
Cell: 514-521-8216
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