A quarter century of lifesaving discoveries in prostate cancer

Today, a patient diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer has options. Doctors can offer a suite of androgen-suppressing drugs to extend his life. There are genetic tests that can show whether he’s a candidate for more-targeted treatments. These tests can also reveal whether his family members are at higher risk for prostate and other types of cancer. This was not always the case.

And many of these breakthroughs have been made possible by 25 years of transformative prostate research performed by scientists in the Pacific Northwest Prostate Cancer Specialized Program of Research Excellence. The National Cancer Institute created the SPORE program to strengthen ties between bench and bedside and hasten the flow of breakthroughs and insights between them.

“Twenty-five years of continued funding is a testament to the consistently excellent science conducted by PNW Prostate Cancer SPORE researchers,” said Dr. Peter Nelson, professor (Hematology and Oncology), who heads the PNW Prostate Cancer SPORE. “Our scientists have made practice-changing breakthroughs and widened the scope of treatment and screening options available to prostate cancer patients.”