Therapies targeting DNA repair in advanced prostate cancer
Project 4: Clinical Development of Therapeutic Strategies Targeting Damage Repair
This effort combines DNA-damaging treatments with high-dose testosterone to help men whose prostate cancer no longer responds to standard hormone therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11181535 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers may give high-dose (supraphysiological) testosterone alongside treatments that damage cancer DNA, such as certain chemotherapies, PARP inhibitors, or radiation. The plan includes a Phase 2 clinical trial for men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Doctors may test tumor samples for defects in DNA repair genes to identify who is most likely to benefit. The approach aims to use how androgen signaling interacts with DNA repair to make cancer cells more vulnerable to treatment.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, particularly those whose tumors show defects in DNA repair pathways.
Not a fit: Patients with early-stage prostate cancer, those who cannot tolerate genotoxic therapies, or whose tumors lack DNA-repair defects may not receive benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make resistant prostate cancers respond again and lengthen the time before the disease progresses.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies show DNA-repair defects can make prostate cancers sensitive to platinum chemotherapy and PARP inhibitors, but combining these with high-dose androgen therapy is a newer strategy under clinical testing.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nelson, Peter S — Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Study coordinator: Nelson, Peter S
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.