Adelaide leads way on prostate cancer research

Adelaide scientists are leading the way with radical new research into prostate cancer, the most common cancer among men.

They’re part of an international team developing world-first prostate cancer drugs in the hope of finding a cure.

Paddy O’Rourke was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer three years ago and told he would be dead within months.

But the 55-year-old remains positive, even if he knows the latest medical advances won’t help him.

“I consider myself to be a pretty lucky man because I have had this extra three and a half years… and that to me is why research is so important,” he told 7News.

Tumors confined to the prostate can be cut out, but once they spread, there is very little hope other than extending life with chemo, radio or hormone therapies.

Local researchers are now leading a global team developing new drugs.

“We really hope that this will be a game changer,” said Professor Wayne Tiller from the University of Adelaide.

The new approach aims to outsmart cancer by directly targeting critical proteins called androgen receptors, which drive the growth of cancer cells that have spread throughout the body.

“What we really believe is that this drug will once and for all provide an opportunity to shut down this androgen pathway,” Prof Tiller said.

Researchers hope it will lead to clinical trials of two oral drugs.

Meanwhile, other researchers have some food for thought – they have found broccoli, pomegranate, turmeric and green tea can help fight the disease by lowering prostate proteins by 60 per cent.