UniSA Connect

Cancer research transforming lives

With the support of generous donations from the wider community, UniSA researchers have made a significant breakthrough in differentiating aggressive cases of prostate cancer.

Prof Doug Brooks

Professor of Molecular Medicine

All those who have contributed to the UniSA Cancer Research Fund over many years can take pride in the fact that they have ultimately helped launch an improved diagnostic test for prostate cancer.

Donations made to the UniSA Cancer Research Fund in 2018 helped purchase equipment (specifically, a Roche-Ventana Ultra Tissue Stainer) essential for high-volume diagnostic analysis.

This technology helped Professor Doug Brooks and his research colleagues working alongside Envision Sciences to develop a highly accurate diagnostic test for prostate cancer based on the identification of three new biomarkers – changing how pathologists visualise prostate cancer in patient tissue samples.

Envision Sciences, which funded the development and translation of the technology at UniSA, has signed a commercialisation agreement with the largest tissue diagnostic pathology company in the United States, Quest Diagnostics, to take the technology into clinical practice.

The new biomarkers will enable clinicians to determine which patients require immediate, radical treatment compared to those who need close monitoring (active surveillance).

Prof Brooks knows the importance of this all too well having recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer himself. Thankfully he is in recovery and is doing well.

Given the successful outcome in the US, it is expected that this test will be available for clinical use in the United States imminently, and will improve the quality of life for people with prostate cancer and help to save lives. Pending a successful outcome in the US, it is expected that clinical trials using this innovative technology will be undertaken in Australia.

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