DNA methylation and aggressive prostate cancer in Puerto Rican men
Epigenetic variations associated with aggressiveness in prostate cancer among Puerto Rican men
Researchers are looking at chemical tags on genes in prostate tumors from Puerto Rican men to find markers linked to more aggressive, treatment-resistant cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ponce School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ponce, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11169912 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you participate, researchers will examine DNA methylation (chemical tags that turn genes on or off) in tumor and blood samples from Puerto Rican men with prostate cancer. They will compare those methylation patterns to gene activity and to genetic ancestry (population admixture) to see if links exist with drug response and cancer aggressiveness. The team will compare local samples with larger datasets from Florida biobanks, MCC, and TCGA to find consistent signals. The goal is to find biomarkers that help explain why some tumors behave worse in this population.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Men of Puerto Rican ancestry with a prostate cancer diagnosis who can provide tumor or blood samples or have existing samples in a biobank are the best fit.
Not a fit: People without prostate cancer, or patients whose tumors are from very different ancestries and not represented in the study, are unlikely to see direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help identify markers that lead to earlier detection of aggressive prostate cancer or inform treatment choices for Puerto Rican men.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have found DNA methylation marks linked to aggressive prostate cancer, but findings need validation in Puerto Rican and other underrepresented populations.
Where this research is happening
Ponce, United States
- Ponce School of Medicine — Ponce, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ortiz, Carmen M — Ponce School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Ortiz, Carmen M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.