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Hormone research uncovers new findings for prostate Cancer

5 March 2008

Post doctoral research fellow at Monash University, Preetika Balanathan has received valuable funding from pharmaceuticals company GSK, to assist her research into prostate cancer.

Preetika Balanathan, a post doctoral research fellow at Monash University, has been awarded a GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Post Graduate Support Grant for 2008 to assist her research in understanding the biological processes that cause prostate cancer, as it progresses into different stages.

Dr Balanathan said her research was progressing well and the latest breakthrough takes the fight against prostate cancer to the next level.

"We have discovered that when prostate cancer is still in the hormone-dependent stage there is a growth factor, known as inhibin-alpha (INHA), which acts as a tumour suppressor. However, when the cancer progresses, it moves to a hormone-independent-stage and the role of INHA changes; losing its tumour suppressive role and/or gaining the ability to promote tumour growth and spread of the disease", said Dr Balanathan.

"We hope to develop a greater understanding of the roles of INHA and why the role changes in different stages of the disease, allowing us to know when treatments would be most effective before the disease is spread", she added.

The prostate is dependent on the male hormone testosterone, in conjunction with a sequential system that allows for healthy development and maintenance. Disruption of this system can induce the loss of regulatory controls and could be a cause of prostate cancer.

The support grant funding will allow Dr Balanathan to expand the scope of this important work and determine the biological mechanisms involved in the different activities of INHA at different stages the disease.