Understanding how genetic changes make prostate cancer aggressive

Investigating the impact of chromosomal instability on prostate cancer aggressiveness

NIH-funded research Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-11132977

This research explores why some prostate cancers become very aggressive and spread, focusing on how unstable chromosomes contribute to this process.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionMayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Rochester, United States)
Project IDNIH-11132977 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Prostate cancer can become incurable once it spreads, and we don't fully understand why some cancers become so aggressive. This project looks at how changes in chromosomes, called chromosomal instability (CIN), help prostate cancer cells survive and grow. We are using advanced tools to find out how CIN changes the way cancer cells work and how a specific protein, MASTL, helps these unstable cells. The goal is to uncover new ways to stop aggressive prostate cancer.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This foundational research is for patients with aggressive or metastatic prostate cancer, as it aims to understand the underlying biology of their disease.

Not a fit: Patients with early-stage, non-aggressive prostate cancer may not directly benefit from this specific research focus on advanced disease mechanisms.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments for aggressive, metastatic prostate cancer by targeting the mechanisms that allow it to become lethal.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have also linked chromosomal instability to aggressive cancers, and this work builds on previous findings that show its role in prostate cancer survival.

Where this research is happening

Rochester, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Breast Cancer CellCancer BiologyCancer CauseCancer EtiologyCancers
Last reviewed 2026-06-09 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.