How gut bacteria may affect prostate cancer therapy and resistance
Official title: Defining the Mechanistic Basis of Bacterial Androgen Production in Dampening Anti-Tumor Immunity and Promoting Resistance to Androgen Receptor Axis-Targeted Therapies for Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11361092 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new study looks at how gut bacteria make compounds that influence prostate cancer treatments and may drive resistance to therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $629,399 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA287126-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11361092 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer undergoing androgen-targeted therapy or immunotherapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not on these therapies or without gut microbiome involvement may have limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project from Johns Hopkins explores how gut microbes produce androgen-like compounds that could alter how well treatments work in advanced prostate cancer. The team has already identified bacterial genes that convert hormones and collected a long-term microbiome sample bank from patients on androgen-targeted therapy. They plan to connect these bacterial products to how the immune system and cancer therapies interact, especially in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. The aim is to understand mechanisms so future therapies can overcome resistance and improve patient outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to new ways to boost treatment responses or overcome resistance in men with advanced prostate cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows microbiome composition affects cancer therapy responses, with mechanistic links still being unraveled.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sfanos, Karen Sandell — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Sfanos, Karen Sandell
Related research
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-
Understanding what drives lethal metastatic prostate cancer in men
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A multi-year study at a major university will explore how metastatic prostate cancer changes its cell type and how to target those changes to help patients.
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Blood test to detect resistance to hormone therapy in advanced prostate cancer
This project tests a new blood-based DNA test to spot early resistance to androgen (hormone) therapies in men with advanced prostate cancer.
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.