Prostate Cancer Therapeutic Program
Asuragen’s expression studies and functional studies have identified several miRNAs whose altered expression in prostate cells appears to contribute to their malignancy. These miRNAs are being evaluated as therapeutic agents in mouse models.
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer found in American men other than skin cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be about 218,890 new cases of prostate cancer in the United States in 2007. About 27,050 men will die of this disease. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men. 95% of prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas, which arise from glandular tissue. More rarely, cancer begins in the tissues surrounding the gland. These types include leiomyosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma. The risk for developing prostate cancer rises significantly with age, and 60% of newly diagnosed cases occur in men over the age of 70.
Treatment for prostate cancer depends on the stage of the disease and the patient's age and overall health. When cancer is confined to the prostate gland, the disease is usually curable. A number of patients with locally spread cancer die within 5 years. Once cancer has spread to distant organs, life expectancy is usually less than 3 years. Elderly patients with minor symptoms, early stage cancer, or co-existing illness may be treated conservatively.
Patients in good health who are younger than 70 years old are usually offered surgery as treatment for prostate cancer. The cure rate for patients undergoing surgery is very high so long as the disease has not undergone metastasis. Both hormone therapy and chemotherapy are used to extend the lives of patients diagnosed with later stage prostate cancer.