Scientists Discover Two Different Subtypes of Prostate Cancer

An international study led by teams from the Universities of Manchester and Oxford identified two different subtypes of prostate cancer called evotypes. The scientists integrated the newfound information and created an evolutionary tree that illustrated the way in which the two newly discovered prostate cancer subtypes developed and eventually converged into two disease types termed “evotypes”.

According to statistics reported by Cancer Research UK, prostate cancer affects approximately 52,000 men living in the United Kingdom each year or one in eight men in the UK during their lifetime. The study was reported in MedicalXpress and published recently in Cell Genomics. It describes a new form of aggressive prostate cancer. These findings could revolutionize diagnosis and treatment of the disease in the future.
The discovery occurred using Artificial intelligence from DNA and applying it to DNA data.

The findings have the potential to save the lives of thousands of prostate cancer patients. In addition to the Universities of Oxford and Manchester, the work was also published by the international consortium of researchers consisting of scientists from the University of East Anglia and London’s Cancer Research Institute.

The aforementioned researchers, part of the international consortium (Pan Prostate Cancer Group), worked together analyzing genetic data from many thousands of prostate cancer samples submitted by nine countries. The team indicates that AI could tailor treatments to an individual patient in accordance with a genetic test that is also administered through AI. As witnessed when observing cancer patients in general, receiving a diagnosis of prostate cancer will affect the patient emotionally, physically, and have an impact on his general well-being.

Two Distinct Disease Types

Dan Woodcock, M.D., lead researcher at the Oxford University’s Surgical Science Department, commented that their research shows prostate tumors exist in multiple pathways and lead to two disease types of prostate cancer. Dr. Woodcock further stated that now researchers can classify tumors in accordance with how cancer evolves rather than basing their understanding solely on gene mutations.

The Study

In one test called whole genome sequencing, the researchers relied upon AI to study DNA changes using samples from 159 prostate cancer patients. Two distinctly different cancer groups were identified by using neural networks. David Wedge M.D. of Manchester Research Center, the leader of the study commented that with their new discovery scientists will be able to classify tumors according to their evolutionary path instead of relying solely on a patient’s gene mutations.

Ros Eeles, Oncogenetics professor at London’s Cancer Institute emphasizes the team’s use of worldwide data from The Pan Prostate Group. Dr. Eeles further stated that the study demonstrates the importance of team science and data sharing.
The scientists believe these findings may save thousands of lives of prostate cancer patients.

prostate cancer research

Last modified: May 17, 2024