UCSF effort to improve diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer
UCSF Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs) in Prostate Cancer
This program develops new tests and treatment combinations to help men with aggressive or advanced prostate cancer live longer and feel better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11181248 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
At UCSF, researchers will work across labs and clinics using patient samples, lab models, and clinical testing to find what drives aggressive prostate cancer and to speed lab discoveries into care. They will develop and validate biomarkers to guide treatment choices for advanced disease and study a newly identified hypermethylated subtype of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. One project will test combining immunotherapy with radioligand therapy for men with metastatic disease, while others focus on mechanisms of treatment resistance and translational targets. The SPORE brings together multidisciplinary teams to move promising findings toward clinical trials and patient use.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are men with advanced or metastatic prostate cancer—especially those with castration-resistant disease—who are willing to join trials or provide tissue and blood samples.
Not a fit: Men with low-risk, localized prostate cancer or those who cannot travel to UCSF or join clinical trials are unlikely to see direct benefits from this program in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this effort could provide better tests to match men with the right therapies and new combinations that improve outcomes for advanced prostate cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Some components, like biomarker-guided care and radioligand therapy, have shown promise in other studies, while the focus on a new hypermethylated subtype and specific combination approaches is more novel.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Small, Eric J — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Small, Eric J
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.