Blood test using large oncosomes to find aggressive prostate cancer types

Clinical Translation of a Large Oncosome-Based Prostate Cancer Blood Test

NIH-funded research Cedars-Sinai Medical Center · NIH-11175502

This project is developing a blood test that reads cancer-derived particles to spot aggressive forms of metastatic prostate cancer in men.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionCedars-Sinai Medical Center NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Los Angeles, United States)
Project IDNIH-11175502 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would give blood samples so researchers can isolate large oncosomes, which are big cancer-derived particles found in plasma. The team will measure proteins and RNA in those particles using mass spectrometry and sequencing to define molecular signatures linked to treatment response. They will use about 600 clinically annotated samples collected both retrospectively and prospectively across two sites and move the best signatures into a CLIA laboratory for clinical use. The goal is to track tumor phenotype over time and under treatment pressure for both castration-resistant and hormone-sensitive disease.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are men with metastatic prostate cancer — including those with castration-resistant or hormone-sensitive disease — especially if the cancer is biologically aggressive.

Not a fit: Men with early localized prostate cancer, unrelated medical conditions, or those unable to provide blood samples or visit participating centers are unlikely to benefit from this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors identify aggressive prostate cancer sooner and guide more personalized treatment or monitoring without repeated invasive biopsies.

How similar studies have performed: Other liquid biopsy approaches like circulating tumor DNA and exosome tests have shown clinical promise, and early pilot data with large oncosome markers are encouraging but still preliminary.

Where this research is happening

Los Angeles, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.