Gene Expression Analysis of Circulating Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancer Micrometastases

This annual report for the Physician Research Training Award focuses on progress in the genetic analysis of circulating hormone refractory prostate cancer micrometastases. As metastatic tissue is often inaccessible in advanced prostate cancer patients, analysis of circulating tumor cells may provide understanding of the biology of hormone refractory prostate cancer as well as chemotherapy resistance. Oligonucleotide array comparative genomic hybridization allows the assessment of genetic changes that may occur in the process of metastasis and chemotherapy resistance. Genomic profiling using this technology will go beyond cell counting, and circumvent technical complexities related to working with RNA. Work performed over the last year has perfected techniques to deal with small amounts of DNA isolated using the Vitatex cell isolation system. Preliminary data suggests that reproducible genomic alterations are observed in the circulating tumor cells isolated from patients with metastatic hormone refractory prostate cancer. During year 3, having ironed out the methodology of pursuing this work, we will ramp up collection of peripheral blood on patients with hormone refractory prostate cancer to isolate circulating tumor cells and perform genetic analyses.