Trial Information

UK Genetic Prostate Cancer Study

OBJECTIVES:

- To find genes that predispose to prostate cancer (using genetic linkage and other
molecular biology techniques).

- To determine if genes that predispose to prostate cancer are associated with disease
and treatment parameters.

- To determine if genes that predispose to prostate cancer are associated with
environmental factors.

- To estimate the percentage of prostate cancer patients who have a positive family
history of the disease.

- To estimate the relative risk of developing prostate cancer in a currently unaffected
member of a prostate cancer family.

- To ascertain whether relatives of prostate cancer patients are at increased risk of
developing cancers other than prostate cancer.

- To build up a large blood and tumor (both fresh and preserved) bank from patients with
prostate cancer to identify prostate cancer predisposition gene(s), determine the
prevalence and penetrance of prostate cancer predisposition genes in prostate cancer
patients, correlate changes in prostate cancer predisposition gene(s) with disease and
treatment parameters by matching with clinical data from clinical databases already
held as part of the medical record on these patients, and correlate changes in prostate
cancer predisposition gene(s) with environmental factors collected by questionnaire
from these patients.

- To use the blood and tumor bank for marker studies (DNA, RNA, serum, plasma, protein,
and other molecules) to define the role of these markers in disease prediction and
progression.

- To develop microarrays from prostate cancers to determine their genetic profile and
correlate this with prostate cancer genetic predisposition genes.

- To collect tissue from other unaffected and affected members of the family in cases
where a genetic alteration is found, in order to ascertain whether this alteration is
associated with disease risk.

- To collect tissue samples from unaffected family members who show an interest in taking
part in the study.

OUTLINE: Patients are assessed by a family history and epidemiology questionnaire and
undergo a medical record review.

Patients and relatives with prostate cancer may undergo blood sample collection for genetic
analysis of prostate cancer predisposition genes and measurement of markers of associations
with genetic changes associated with prostate cancer. Blood and tumor samples are stored for
future studies.