Molecular tests to predict long-term response to hormone therapy and radiation for prostate cancer
Official title: Molecular Biomarkers of Long-Term Response to Androgen Deprivation Therapy and Radiation in Prostate Cancer
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11248810 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for molecular signs in tumor samples that could show which men with prostate cancer returning after surgery will benefit most from hormone therapy plus radiation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $624,905 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA260066-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11248810 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for future related trials would be men whose prostate cancer returned after prostatectomy and who are considering or receiving salvage radiation with or without androgen deprivation therapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with widely metastatic disease beyond the salvage setting or those without available tumor/blood samples would be unlikely to benefit directly from this specific work.
What this research studies
This project uses stored tumor and blood samples from men whose prostate cancer came back after radical prostatectomy and who were treated in landmark randomized trials of salvage radiation with or without androgen deprivation therapy. Scientists will measure molecular features in those samples and link them to long-term PSA and survival outcomes. They will compare people who did and did not get hormone therapy to find markers that predict who benefits and who may need more intensive treatment. Because the work uses banked samples and trial data, it focuses on lab analyses and clinical data rather than testing new treatments on patients now.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help doctors choose who truly needs hormone therapy with salvage radiation and who might avoid extra treatment or need intensified therapy.
How similar studies have gone: Large trials have shown benefit from adding hormone therapy to salvage radiation, but reliable molecular predictors of long-term benefit remain limited, so this work builds on trial data and is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Maher, Christopher a — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Maher, Christopher a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Identifying biomarkers to improve prostate cancer treatment outcomes after surgery.
This study is looking at how certain biological markers can help doctors figure out which men with prostate cancer, who have had surgery, will respond best to hormone therapy and radiation, so they can personalize treatments for better results.
-
Effects of long-term hormone therapy on brain function in prostate cancer patients
This study is looking at how long-term hormone therapy for prostate cancer might affect thinking and memory skills in patients, with the hope of finding ways to improve their quality of life and treatment choices.
-
Cardiovascular risk planning and reduction for men with prostate cancer
A program to better predict and reduce heart disease risk in men treated for prostate cancer, especially older patients.
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Effects of ADT on motivation and emotion in prostate cancer patients
This project looks at how androgen deprivation therapy may affect motivation and mood over time in men with prostate cancer.
-
Causal Protein Markers to Understand and Predict Prostate Cancer Risk in Africans and Europeans
A cancer research project looking at proteins linked to prostate cancer to better understand why it happens and how risk differs between African and European populations.
-
Ethical multimodal AI platform to improve prostate cancer detection with ultrasound
A patient-friendly AI system uses ultrasound and MRI information to help doctors better find prostate cancer, aiming to improve accuracy and access.
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.