The key areas of research are:

1) Turning off Cancer Genes (Transcriptional Targeting) – Dr Richard Morgan

Potential targets for novel therapies include proteins involved in cell growth and signaling within the cell. These include proteins, so called transcription factors, that have previously been identified as being switched on in cancer and therefore lead to unchecked growth of cells. Of particular note are the HOX genes, a family of proteins normally involved in development of the nervous system in the embryo. We have designed a small protein, HXR9, which is able to pass into the cell and disrupt the interaction between HOX and a second protein, PBX This protein is able to cause cell death when added to cancer cells in vitro and also causes reduction of tumours when tested in vivo. We hope to develop this protein further for use as a therapy for cancer

 2) Cancer Vaccines (Immunotherapy) –Dr Nicola Annels

Cancer Vaccines or ‘immunotherapy’ can potentially be used in patients safely over a long period of time. In addition to our work on transcriptional targeting we are also studying HOX genes as potential tumour associated antigens which can be targeted by cancer vaccines.

However, most tumours are associated with profound immune suppression; this needs to be overcome in order to allow the vaccine to induce anticancer immune responses. A subset of immune cells, known as regulatory T cells (Tregs), is in large part responsible for this immune suppression and Tregs may thus block effective anti-tumour immune responses. Removing the Tregs may relieve this block and enhance the immune response against the tumour. Unfortunately, to date, no single drug targets Tregs with high specificity, and currently available agents that may affect Tregs are toxic or unsuitable for human use. In our laboratory we have developed a novel method for targeting Tregs known as the HWFT protein. We are investigating in detail how our treatment affects Tregs in many types of cancer and are assessing whether our treatment can improve the effect of anti-cancer vaccines.

 3) Using viruses to kill cancer (Viral Therapy) - Dr Guy Simpson

In recent years viruses have been widely investigated in scientific research for their use as novel therapies for disease. We are investigating both herpes simplex virus (HSV) and  reovirus in bladder and prostate models. Reovirus is able to replicate within tumour cells and not in normal healthy cells of the body due to a specific mutation of a gene common to many cancers. As the virus replicates within the tumour cells new viral offspring are produced. These burst out of the cell causing the tumour cell to burst and die. We are studying the ability of reovirus to kill a variety of tumour cell types and, more specifically, the ability of reovirus to work in conjunction with conventional chemotherapy in prostate tumour cells.

 4) Development of a novel urine biomarker for prostate cancer – Dr Richard Morgan

PSA is an important and useful test for prostate cancer. However, its use is limited by the fact that PSA levels also increase in non-cancerous conditions of the prostate.

We have discovered that the EN2 protein is highly expressed in prostate cancer and that prostate cancer cells export EN2 into urine. We have published our work in the journal Clinical Cancer Research and we have received widespread publicity in the media. Work is ongoing to improve the accuracy of the test and address its potential in diagnosis and surveillance.

Engrailed-2 (EN2): A Tumor Specific Urinary Biomarker for the Early Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer. Morgan R, Boxall A, Bhatt A, Bailey M, Hindley R, Langley S, Whitaker HC, Neal DE, Ismail M, Whitaker H, Annels N, Michael A, Pandha H. Clin Cancer Res. 2011 Mar 1;17(5):1090-8

BBC NEWS 1st MARCH 2011

SKY NEWS 1st MARCH 2011

 WOMEN'S HOUR BBC RADIO 4   13th JUNE 2011

 5) The Sun Study – Dr Agnieszka Michael

Aims:

1) Complete a bio-repository and accompanying ‘database’ of 300 patients with all stages of prostate cancer to allow longitudinal blood sampling whilst on different treatment programs, and enable banking and analysis of serum and DNA at 6 monthly intervals. This group is unique in that it comprises an almost homogenous population of Caucasian patients, most of who won’t move out of the area (allowing long term follow up).

2) Using the SUN study population, we will identify proteins in the blood serum which are characteristic for prostate cancer in comparison with benign disease (those patients found not to harbour cancer after prostatic biopsy, will be aged matched controls), using sophisticated cutting edge methods of protein analysis.

3) We will identify changes in biomarker profile depending on the cancer stage and cancer grade in newly diagnosed cancer following radical treatment, in patients on hormonal treatment, in patients with hormone –resistant disease and in patients with widespread disease.

4) We are currently setting up an ethnic Sun Study to look at the differences in biomarkers between the afro-caribean population, who have a  very high incidence of prostate cancer, and the caucasian population.

This resource is available to researchers internationally and we are pleased to announce that we are now members of National Cancer Research Institute’s Confederation of Cancer Biobanks (CCB). CCB is a consortium of organisations based in the UK that are involved in the development, management and use of biobank resources for cancer research.  Please contact Dr Agnieszka Michael for further details.

Please see our publication page for more information on our research.

Clinical Trials

A clinical team of 12 staff are developing a large programme of clinical research directed at improved treatment for cancer, understanding the causes of cancer and developing new methods of detection. We currently have a substantial clinical trial portfolio. The clinical trials are carried out at St Lukes Cancer Centre and Mount Alvernia Hospital. For further details of our currently running clinical trials please see the Surrey, West Sussex and Hampshire Cancer Network.

For further details about our clinical trials please contact the research nurses listed on the Surrey, West Sussex and Hampshire Cancer Network.

The cancer research theme also encompasses a range of other projects which are being carried out within the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences.

These include drug resistance and novel targets in gynaecological and breast cancer (Coley), the role of phytoestrogens in breast cancer (Brown), novel drug synthesis (Wagner), and the effect of functional selenoprotein polymorphisms and methylation of selenoprotein genes on prostate cancer risk (Rayman, Green). The role of diet in cancer prevention is becoming an increasingly important topic and current research in this area includes the protective effect of Vitamin D (Lee) and of selenium (Rayman) which is being trialed in collaboration with colleagues at the Institute of Cancer Research (Sutton) in men with localised prostate cancer to try to prevent disease progression. The Cancer Research Theme also includes some cutting edge work in primary care (Faithfull), including studies in radiotherapy toxicity, rehabilitation after prostate cancer treatment and self assessment methods for analysing the impact of lung cancer on the patient's quality of life (funded by a £0.75M e-tech grant).