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2022 Steve & Andrea Wynn – PCF Young Investigator Award

Effect of Androgen Receptor Modulation on Myeloid Cell Differentiation in Patients with Advanced Prostate Cancer

David Sanin, PhD
Johns Hopkins University

Mentors: Samuel Denmeade, MD, Edward Pearce, PhD

Description:

  • Bipolar Androgen therapy (BAT) is an experimental treatment that cycles testosterone between extremely high and extremely low levels and has been demonstrated to be clinically effective against castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, understanding how BAT works and how to improve its efficacy remains unclear.
  • Increased inflammatory responses have been associated with clinical benefit, suggesting the immune system may drive responses to BAT.
  • Dr. David Sanin’s project will determine immune changes in patients treated with BAT, including how modulating androgen receptor impacts the differentiation of myeloid cells.
  • The effects of androgen receptor modulation will be explored in patient biopsies and in preclinical models.
  • If successful, this project will provide an understanding of how BAT reprograms tumor immunity and determine whether treatments targeting myeloid cell function may improve the efficacy of BAT.

What this means to patients: BAT is a promising therapy for prostate cancer, yet more optimization is needed to improve efficacy and broaden patient benefit. Dr. Sanin and team will determine how BAT impacts tumor immunity, particularly myeloid cells, thus providing rationale for complementing BAT with immune-centric approaches in future clinical trials.