Cancers of the prostate and breast are two of the most common cancers, which also tend to co-occur in families. There are major problems in the clinical management of these cancers, which are highlighted for prostate cancer below.

Prostate Cancer - The facts and the problem
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy in men in the western world, its occurrence increasing significantly with age. Prostate cancer accounts for about 11% of all male cancer deaths, and by the year 2018, it is expected to be the biggest killer, with half of the male population suffering from it. At present, there is no reliable method for diagnosing the cancer, or predicting or preventing its possible metastatic spread - the main cause of death for most patients. The scale of the problem and uncertain treatment methods with potentially undesirable side effects seriously threaten the quality of life, especially in later years. Most recent research suggests that prostate cancer is increasing in younger men in Europe [British Journal of Cancer (1999) 79: 13-17].

PCRF's unique approach - Neuroscience solutions to cancer
Working as a group of basic and clinical scientists, we have developed a powerful new method for the study of prostate cancer. This involves first measuring the minute electrical signals generated by the tumour cells, and then determining their role in cellular behaviours (e.g. proliferation and tissue invasion) involved in the development and spread of the cancer. Electrical activities of cells are well known to make a critical contribution to normal tissue functioning (e.g. muscle contraction) and to lead to disease if abnormal, as in angina pectoris, myotonia congenita, hypertension, epilepsy and cystic fibrosis.

Key discoveries and progress so far
We have found, for the first time, that the ability of human prostate cancer cells to metastasise (i.e. spread and form secondary tumours) involves expression specifically of sodium ion channel proteins in their membranes. In other words, prostate cancer cells become electrically excitable during metastasis. Further tests have shown that blockage of these proteins by tetrodotoxin suppresses the cells' motility and invasive capacity in tissue culture. Interestingly, the incidence of prostate cancer in Japan is one of the lowest in the world and this is where puffer fish - the natural source of tetrodotoxin - is consumed as a delicacy!

Our goals and needs in the immediate future
The discovery of the sodium channel protein has a dual promise: (1) It can be exploited diagnostically to predict whether a given cancer of the prostate would metastasise; this could greatly facilitate the decision making process regarding possible surgery. (2) Drugs, including the toxin itself, can be used to control the growth and progression of a local tumour, again minimising the need for surgery. Future work will, therefore, aim at developing this approach further to explore new, non-radical ways of diagnosing and suppressing the cancer in humans. We have estimated that some five years of research and £3,000,000 (to support a team of six senior scientists) are needed to bring the research to full potential and a point of clinical application.