How high-risk prostate tumors and nearby cells kick off cancer spread
Official title: Project 1: Tumor Microenvironment Initiators of the Metastatic Cascade in High-Risk Prostate Cancer
Funded at University of Wisconsin-Madison · NIH-11184186 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how high-risk prostate tumors and the immune and support cells around them start to spread by using advanced scans and detailed analysis of removed prostate tissue.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 1, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $400,761 |
| NIH project number | 5P50CA269011-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11184186 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are men with high-risk prostate cancer scheduled for prostatectomy, including those receiving neoadjuvant Abiraterone or chemohormonal therapy, who can undergo preoperative PSMA PET/MRI.
✕Less likely to help
Men with low-risk, localized prostate cancer, those not undergoing surgery, or those with widespread advanced metastatic disease are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
What this research studies
I would have a PSMA PET/MRI scan before my prostate surgery, with some people having had short-term hormone or chemo-hormone treatment first. The team uses the scans to make a 3D mold of the prostate, then sections the whole gland and takes samples from multiple tumor areas for detailed, multiplex molecular testing. They will study tumor DNA changes plus activated fibroblasts and macrophage subtypes to see how these cells interact and create lymphovascular channels that let cancer invade and enter circulation. The goal is to map when and where the tumor microenvironment begins the steps toward metastasis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal early warning signs of spread that help predict who needs more aggressive treatment and point to new ways to block early metastasis.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have shown that stromal and immune cells can promote invasion, but combining PSMA PET/MRI-guided 3D whole-mount mapping with multiplex molecular analysis is a relatively novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lang, Joshua — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Lang, Joshua
Related research
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Overcoming Resistance to AR-Targeted Therapy in High-Risk Prostate Cancer
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Tumor environment players in advanced prostate cancer spread
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Integrated genomic and AI pathology biomarkers to guide high-risk prostate cancer treatment
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Mitochondrial changes in high-risk prostate cancer
This project looks at changes in mitochondrial DNA and cell energy systems in men, especially African American men, with high‑risk prostate cancer to find markers that predict who will develop aggressive disease.
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Understanding mitochondrial changes in high-risk prostate cancer
This study is looking at how changes in mitochondrial DNA might affect prostate cancer in African American men, who are more likely to face serious cases, with the hope of finding ways to predict and improve treatment for those at risk.
-
Blocking stromal signals to make androgen-blocking treatment work better for high-risk prostate cancer
Researchers are trying to improve outcomes for people with high-risk localized prostate cancer by blocking signals from nearby stromal cells so androgen-blocking drugs work more fully.
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.