We want to identify men who are at risk of prostate cancer as well as those who have a very low risk men who might never have to be screened. Second, for men who are at risk of developing prostate cancer, we want to find new methods to prevent the disease. Ultimately, we d like to put ourselves out of business by preventing the disease entirely. Dr. Thompson s team also hopes to discover novel biomarkers. Cells have unique molecular signatures that vary depending upon gene activity and production of proteins and other cellular products.
Scientists are interested in the changes of the signature when a normal cell becomes a cancer cell.
We are focusing on these signatures and on ways to apply them to the earlier detection of prostate cancer, Dr. Thompson said.