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2022 Ms. Lucy Shostak & Dr. Elliot Abramowitz-PCF Young Investigator Award

Development of a Rational Co-Targeting Approach to Block Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer Cell Survival

William Storck, PhD
University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center

Description:

  • Neuroendocrine prostate cancer is a highly aggressive form of the disease that is characterized by activation of a brain or nerve-like program, rather than a glandular program typically found in prostate cancer. Unfortunately, neuroendocrine prostate cancer tumors are becoming more common because of new hormonal medicines used to treat advanced prostate cancer.
  • There are currently no effective treatments for patients with neuroendocrine prostate cancer. Understanding the key proteins important for causing neuroendocrine prostate cancer is a critical step towards developing effective treatments.
  • Dr. William Storck and team have determined that BET bromodomain proteins are important for turning on the brain or nerve-like program found in neuroendocrine prostate cancer tumors. Drugs that block BET bromodomain proteins have shown activity in neuroendocrine prostate cancer tumors in clinical trials led by this team. However, progression is universal.
  • Dr. Storck seeks to build on results with BET bromodomain inhibition and identify rational combinations with other medicines in order to control neuroendocrine prostate cancer tumors more effectively. The efficacy of these combinations will be tested in the laboratory using mouse and patient neuroendocrine prostate cancer tumors.
  • If successful, this project will provide the rationale for a new treatment strategy to control neuroendocrine prostate cancer more effectively so that we may begin clinical trials.

What this means to patients: Neuroendocrine prostate cancer is a highly aggressive form of advanced prostate cancer for which treatments are urgently needed. Dr. Storck will identify new combinations of medicines to treat neuroendocrine prostate cancer more effectively. The completion of the proposed work may set the stage for new clinical trials focused on patients with neuroendocrine prostate cancer in the near-term.