Prostate cancer research
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. Each year, more than 34,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed in the UK and the disease claims around 10,000 lives.
Cancer Research UK is a major supporter of prostate cancer research in the UK. We fund research at all levels, from uncovering the disease’s causes to developing new treatments. We have a section aimed at patients and carers affected by prostate cancer on our CancerHelp website.
You can find out more about prostate cancer in our Cancers At A Glance section.
Below are some of the highlights of our prostate cancer research portfolio.
Or find out more on our prostate cancer briefsheet (PDF download, 100kb)
Cancer genes
Prof Doug Easton
Cancer Research UK Genetic Epidemiology Group
University of Cambridge, Cambridge
Hunting cancer susceptibility genes
Professor Douglas Easton is director of the Cancer Research UK Genetic Epidemiology Group at the University of Cambridge. He is world-renowned for his research into genes that affect our risk of common cancers, particularly breast cancer. His team also works on ovarian and prostate cancer, and melanoma. Their findings will help identify high-risk individuals and could lead to new ways of preventing, diagnosing and treating the disease in the future.
Dr Ros Eeles
Section of Cancer Genetics
The Institute of Cancer Research, London
Studying prostate and breast cancer genes
Dr Ros Eeles at the Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton is studying prostate and breast cancer genetics. She is also involved in helping to evaluate the NHS breast screening programme, ensuring that the service continues to improve.
Prof David Neal
Oncology Department, Addenbrooke's Hospital
University of Cambridge, Cambridge
Better screening and treatment for prostate cancer
Professor David Neal is a leading expert on prostate cancer. He and his colleagues in Cambridge are taking a number of different approaches in their work to beat this disease. A particular focus for the team is identifying better ways of distinguishing aggressive cancers from non-aggressive cancers in order to target treatment to the right group of men. Professor Neal is also investigating the genes involved in prostate and bladder cancer.
Clinical trials
Prof Nick James
Cancer Research UK Institute for Cancer Studies
The University of Birmingham, Birmingham
Improving prostate cancer treatment
Professor Nick James is Professor of Clinical Oncology at the University of Birmingham and also Consultant in Clinical Oncology at the city's Queen Elizabeth Hospital. He is carrying out an important 8-year long trial looking at the use of hormone treatment for prostate cancer.
Drug discovery & development
Prof Gareth Williams
Cancer Research UK Chromosomal Replication Research Group
Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London
Understanding how cells divide, and improving cancer treatment and detection
Based at the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research in London, Professor Gareth Williams and his team are investigating how a group of proteins work together to allow DNA to be copied, a process called DNA replication. His research could also help to find new ways to diagnose cancers such as prostate and bladder cancer.
Hormone therapy
Prof Nick James
Cancer Research UK Institute for Cancer Studies
The University of Birmingham, Birmingham
Improving prostate cancer treatment
Professor Nick James is Professor of Clinical Oncology at the University of Birmingham and also Consultant in Clinical Oncology at the city's Queen Elizabeth Hospital. He is carrying out an important 8-year long trial looking at the use of hormone treatment for prostate cancer.
Prof David Neal
Oncology Department, Addenbrooke's Hospital
University of Cambridge, Cambridge
Better screening and treatment for prostate cancer
Professor David Neal is a leading expert on prostate cancer. He and his colleagues in Cambridge are taking a number of different approaches in their work to beat this disease. A particular focus for the team is identifying better ways of distinguishing aggressive cancers from non-aggressive cancers in order to target treatment to the right group of men. Professor Neal is also investigating the genes involved in prostate and bladder cancer.
PSA test
Dr Joan Austoker
Cancer Research UK Primary Care Education Research Group
Institute of Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford
Education, informed choice and patient experience in cancer screening and early diagnosis
Dr Joan Austoker directs the Cancer Research UK Primary Care Education Research Group at the University of Oxford. Her team's research is aimed at providing people with evidence-based information to understand more about cancer screening and early diagnosis. Her work involves developing and evaluating patient and primary care educational materials, leaflets and brochures, largely focused on breast, cervical, bowel and prostate cancers.
Prof Glyn Elwyn
School of Medicine
Cardiff University, Cardiff
The digital age of decision-making
Professor Glyn Elwyn at Cardiff University is pioneering the development of 'online decision explorers' for breast and prostate cancer. These tools will help people make difficult decisions relating to cancer diagnosis and treatment. The questions, information and video clips that make up these web-based aids are designed to guide people through the different options available. By helping people to make well-informed choices, they have the potential to relieve anxiety and improve the well-being of people faced with these life-changing situations.
Prof Freddie Hamdy
Nuffield Department of Surgery
University of Oxford, Oxford
Investigating prostate cancer treatment and screening
Professor Freddie Hamdy is the Nuffield Professor of Surgery and Professor of Urology at the University of Oxford. He is currently Principal Investigator of a clinical trial to see if prostate cancer screening using the PSA test could decrease the number of deaths from this disease.
Screening
Prof Freddie Hamdy
Nuffield Department of Surgery
University of Oxford, Oxford
Investigating prostate cancer treatment and screening
Professor Freddie Hamdy is the Nuffield Professor of Surgery and Professor of Urology at the University of Oxford. He is currently Principal Investigator of a clinical trial to see if prostate cancer screening using the PSA test could decrease the number of deaths from this disease.
Prof David Neal
Oncology Department, Addenbrooke's Hospital
University of Cambridge, Cambridge
Better screening and treatment for prostate cancer
Professor David Neal is a leading expert on prostate cancer. He and his colleagues in Cambridge are taking a number of different approaches in their work to beat this disease. A particular focus for the team is identifying better ways of distinguishing aggressive cancers from non-aggressive cancers in order to target treatment to the right group of men. Professor Neal is also investigating the genes involved in prostate and bladder cancer.
Prof Gareth Williams
Cancer Research UK Chromosomal Replication Research Group
Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, London
Understanding how cells divide, and improving cancer treatment and detection
Based at the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research in London, Professor Gareth Williams and his team are investigating how a group of proteins work together to allow DNA to be copied, a process called DNA replication. His research could also help to find new ways to diagnose cancers such as prostate and bladder cancer.
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