Using DNA fragments to predict treatment outcomes in advanced prostate cancer
Official title: Cell-free DNA fragmentomics as prognostic and treatment resistance biomarkers in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer
Funded at University of Wisconsin-Madison · NIH-11026219 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how tiny pieces of cancer DNA in your blood can help doctors keep track of your metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and predict if your treatment might stop working, so they can make better choices for your care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $680,453 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA296602-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11026219 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are men diagnosed with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who are undergoing treatment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage prostate cancer or those who are not resistant to androgen signaling inhibitors may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how fragments of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can be used to monitor and predict treatment resistance in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). By employing a liquid biopsy approach combined with machine learning, the study aims to identify molecular changes that indicate shifts in cancer type and treatment response. This method seeks to improve upon current monitoring techniques, which often fail to capture the underlying mechanisms of resistance. Patients will be monitored over time to assess how their cancer evolves and to help guide more effective treatment decisions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more personalized and effective treatment strategies for patients with advanced prostate cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using ctDNA and machine learning for monitoring cancer progression, indicating that this approach could be a significant advancement in the field.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhao, Shuang — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Zhao, Shuang
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how aggressive cell states emerge in castration-resistant prostate cancer
A research project aims to uncover the hidden cell states that help prostate cancer resist standard therapy and how these states arise early in tumor development.
-
Enhancer RNA CYP11A1-eRNA in castration-resistant prostate cancer
Researchers are testing a new RNA-based target, CYP11A1-eRNA, to see if blocking it can hamper the growth of castration-resistant prostate cancer in the lab and animal models.
-
Targeted Immunostimulatory Dual Drug Conjugates for Heterogeneous Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Researchers are testing a targeted therapy approach to help people with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer by boosting the immune system and delivering drugs directly to cancer cells.
-
Androgen Receptor Action in Prostate Cancer that Stops Responding to Therapy
This grant supports research to understand why certain prostate cancers stop responding to AR-targeted therapies and to find new ways to target them.
-
Hyperactive methylation in a hard-to-treat prostate cancer subtype
Researchers are studying a newly identified methylation-heavy group of advanced prostate cancer to understand its biology and find clues for better treatments.
-
Therapeutic Targeting of Lineage Plasticity in Advanced Prostate Cancer
A cancer research effort aimed at understanding and tackling how aggressive prostate cancers become resistant to standard AR-targeted therapies.
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.