$2.8 million for prostate cancer research

Thursday 19 October 2006

Two trials involving innovative new ways to treat one of the biggest killers of Australian men, prostate cancer, have received a massive $2.8 million funding boost.

A researcher at the University of Newcastle and Newcastle Mater Hospital, Professor Jim Denham, has been awarded the money from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) over a five year period.

The clinical trials are investigating the use of hormone therapy in addition to radiotherapy, in the treatment of localised but inoperable prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Australian men. Around 11,200 Australian men are diagnosed with prostate cancer, and more than 2,700 die of prostate cancer each year.

The first grant of $400,000 is for the 96.01 trial, which has been running since 1996 and involves more than 800 men at 19 cancer treatment centres across Australia and New Zealand.

The 96.01 trial has already shown that a hormone therapy given to men with localised but inoperable prostate cancer a few months before radiotherapy can help stop the cancer returning after treatment and reduce cancer deaths.

The new grant will allow valuable additional outcome information to be collected. This will enable the precise size of benefits to be estimated and to determine which patients are deriving the most benefit from additional hormone therapy.

The second grant of $2.4 million is to continue the RADAR trial, which examines the benefits of using hormone therapy both before and after radiotherapy. 880 men with localised but dangerous cancers across Australia and New Zealand already participate in this trial and it's hoped this will increase to 1,000 volunteers by April 2007.

The RADAR trial is also investigating whether a new drug that strengthens bones can reduce the chances of cancer returning to the bones. The first major results from this trial are expected in 2012.

Professor Denham is head of the Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group's (TROG) prostate cancer trials, which are an important part of the Hunter Medical Research Institute's Cancer Research Program.

The RADAR trial was kickstarted by generous donations to HMRI from the Gusse family, owners of Gallerie Fine Jewellery at the Junction.

For information: Professor Jim Denham on 02 4921 1174 or 02 4921 1180.
Media contact: Katie Porritt at the University of Newcastle on 02 4921 5120 or 0418 445 888.