NGFN-PLUS

Collectivization and povision of optimized bioresources and clinical data

Coordinator:    Dr. med. Thorsten Schlomm
Institution: Martini-Klinik, Prostatakarzinomzentrum am Univeritätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
Homepage: www.martini-klinik.de/
Bioresources, meeting the high quality standards of modern molecular biological techniques, are the prerequisite for the identification and clinical validation of novel molecular markers.
Our group has established techniques for the asseveration and the processing of biorescources from prostate cancer patients (tissue, serum, urine) for molecular analyses during clinical routine. A major goal of our subproject within the PROCEED consortium is to provide optimized bioresources and clinical data. Due to the high surgical volume of approximately 1800 radical prostatectomies per year, the Martini-Klinik can supply all biorescources, needed for our discovery approaches.
Modern molecular screening techniques have the potential to identify novel biological mechanisms in the initiation and progression of prostate cancer. One of the most important challenges in the next years is the extensive clinical validation of these molecular data using clinically relevant endpoints.
For a high throughput validation of molecular markers, we are developing Tissue mircroarrays (TMAs) from selected tissue- and patient collectives with complete clinical long time follow-up.
The tissue microarray (TMA) approach enables the simultaneous analysis of thousands of cancer samples on the DNA-, RNA- and protein level and optimizes the correlation of molecular findings with clinical relevant endpoints on large patient cohorts. Our current prostate cancer TMA includes samples from more than 4000 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy.
Our modified approach of tissue microarray (TMA) manufacturing from core needle biopsies may enable to determine associations of molecular features with clinical outcome in patients subjected to radiation or endocrine treatment or opted for a watchful waiting strategy.
Tumor relevant genes with high prognostic relevance are also potential targets for gene specific therapeutic approaches (targeted therapy).
Our aim is the comprehensive clinical validation of all molecular markers discovered by the prostate cancer consortium regarding their diagnostic, predictive and therapeutic relevance.
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