Disrupting prostate cancer research: Challenge accepted; report from the 2023 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy Meeting

INTRODUCTION

The 2023 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy (CHPCA) Meeting, themed "Disrupting Prostate Cancer Research: Challenge Accepted," was convened at the University of California, Los Angeles, Luskin Conference Center, in Los Angeles, CA, from June 22 to 25, 2023.

METHODS

The 2023 marked the 10th Annual CHPCA Meeting, a discussion-oriented scientific think-tank conference convened annually by the Prostate Cancer Foundation, which centers on innovative and emerging research topics deemed pivotal for advancing critical unmet needs in prostate cancer research and clinical care. The 2023 CHPCA Meeting was attended by 81 academic investigators and included 40 talks across 8 sessions.

RESULTS

The central topic areas covered at the meeting included: targeting transcription factor neo-enhancesomes in cancer, AR as a pro-differentiation and oncogenic transcription factor, why few are cured with androgen deprivation therapy and how to change dogma to cure metastatic prostate cancer without castration, reducing prostate cancer morbidity and mortality with genetics, opportunities for radiation to enhance therapeutic benefit in oligometastatic prostate cancer, novel immunotherapeutic approaches, and the new era of artificial intelligence-driven precision medicine.

DISCUSSION

This article provides an overview of the scientific presentations delivered at the 2023 CHPCA Meeting, such that this knowledge can help in facilitating the advancement of prostate cancer research worldwide.

The 29th Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation Scientific Retreat Report

BACKGROUND

The 29th Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) Scientific Retreat was held from October 27 to 29, 2022, at the Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, CA. This was the first-ever hybrid PCF Retreat.

METHODS

The Annual PCF Scientific Retreat is a prominent international scientific gathering centered on groundbreaking, unpublished, and influential studies in basic, translational, and clinical prostate cancer research. It also covers research from related fields with a strong potential for influencing prostate cancer research and patient care.

RESULTS

Key areas of research that were focused on at the 2022 PCF Retreat included: (i) the contributions of molecular and genomic factors to prostate cancer disparities; (ii) novel clinical trial updates; (iii) lessons from primary prostate cancer; (iv) lessons from single-cell studies; (v) genetic, epigenetic, epitranscriptomic and posttranslational mechanisms and clinical heterogeneity in prostate cancer; (vi) biology of neuroendocrine and lineage-plastic prostate cancer; (vii) next generation prostate cancer theranostics and combination therapies; (viii) the biology and therapeutic potential of targeting phosphoinositide 3-kinases pathways; (ix) combining immunomodulatory treatments for prostate cancer; (x) novel gamma delta (γδ) T-cell therapy platforms for oncology; and (xi) lessons from other cancers.

CONCLUSIONS

This article provides a summary of the presentations from the 2022 PCF Scientific Retreat. By disseminating this knowledge, we hope to enhance our understanding of the present research landscape and guide future strides in both prostate cancer research and patient care.

Exploring new frontiers in prostate cancer research: Report from the 2022 Coffey-Holden prostate cancer academy meeting

INTRODUCTION

The 2022 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy (CHPCA) Meeting, "Exploring New Frontiers in Prostate Cancer Research," was held from June 23 to 26, 2022, at the University of California, Los Angeles, Luskin Conference Center, in Los Angeles, CA.

METHODS

The CHPCA Meeting is an annual discussion-oriented scientific conference organized by the Prostate Cancer Foundation, that focuses on emerging and next-step topics deemed critical for making the next major advances in prostate cancer research and clinical care. The 2022 CHPCA Meeting included 35 talks over 10 sessions and was attended by 73 academic investigators.

RESULTS

Major topic areas discussed at the meeting included: prostate cancer diversity and disparities, the impact of social determinants on research and patient outcomes, leveraging real-world and retrospective data, development of artificial intelligence biomarkers, androgen receptor (AR) signaling biology and new strategies for targeting AR, features of homologous recombination deficient prostate cancer, and future directions in immunotherapy and nuclear theranostics.

DISCUSSION

This article summarizes the scientific presentations from the 2022 CHPCA Meeting, with the goal that dissemination of this knowledge will contribute to furthering global prostate cancer research efforts.

The 28th Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation Scientific Retreat report

BACKGROUND

The 28th Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) Scientific Retreat was held virtually over 4 days, on October 28-29 and November 4-5, 2021.

METHODS

The Annual PCF Scientific Retreat is a leading global scientific conference that focuses on first-in-field, unpublished, and high-impact basic, translational, and clinical prostate cancer research, as well as research from other fields with high probability for impacting prostate cancer research and patient care.

RESULTS

Primary areas of research discussed at the 2021 PCF Retreat included: (i) prostate cancer disparities; (ii) prostate cancer survivorship; (iii) next-generation precision medicine; (iv) PSMA theranostics; (v) prostate cancer lineage plasticity; (vi) tumor metabolism as a cancer driver and treatment target; (vii) prostate cancer genetics and polygenic risk scores; (viii) glucocorticoid receptor biology in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC); (ix) therapeutic degraders; (x) new approaches for immunotherapy in prostate cancer; (xi) novel technologies to overcome the suppressive tumor microenvironment; and (xii) real-world evidence and synthetic/virtual control arms.

CONCLUSIONS

This article provides a summary of the presentations from the 2021 PCF Scientific Retreat. We hope that sharing this knowledge will help to improve the understanding of the current state of research and direct new advances in prostate cancer research and care.

Prostate cancer research in the 21st century; report from the 2021 Coffey-Holden prostate cancer academy meeting

INTRODUCTION

The 2021 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy (CHPCA) Meeting, "Prostate Cancer Research in the 21st Century," was held virtually, from June 24-25, 2021.

METHODS

The CHPCA Meeting is organized by the Prostate Cancer Foundation as a unique discussion-oriented meeting focusing on critical topics in prostate cancer research envisioned to bridge the next major advances in prostate cancer biology and treatment. The 2021 CHPCA Meeting was virtually attended by 89 investigators and included 31 talks over nine sessions.

RESULTS

Major topic areas discussed at the meeting included: cancer genomics and sequencing, functional genomic approaches to studying mediators of plasticity, emerging signaling pathways in metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer, Wnt signaling biology and the challenges of targeted therapy, clonal hematopoiesis, neuroendocrine cell plasticity and antitumor immunity, cancer immunotherapy and its synergizers, and imaging the tumor microenvironment and metabolism.

DISCUSSION

This meeting report summarizes the research presented at the 2021 CHPCA Meeting. We hope that publication of this knowledge will accelerate new understandings and the development of new biomarkers and treatments for prostate cancer.

The 27th Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation Scientific Retreat Report

BACKGROUND

The 27th Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) Scientific Retreat was held virtually from October 20 to 23, 2020.

METHODS

The Annual PCF Scientific Retreat is a global scientific research conference that highlights the most promising and cutting edge advances in prostate cancer basic, translational and clinical research, as well as research from other fields with a strong potential for advancing prostate cancer research.

RESULTS

Primary areas of research discussed at the 2020 PCF Retreat included: (i) the intersection between prostate cancer and COVID-19 research; (ii) lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic that may address prostate cancer disparities; (iv) the role of the microbiome in cancer; (v) current challenges in treatment of patients with metastatic prostate cancer; (viii) prostate cancer germline genetics and evolutionary genomics; (ix) advances in circulating DNA methylation biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment selection; (x) advances in the development of MYC-targeting therapeutics; (xi) advances in antibody-drug conjugates for the treatment of cancer; (xii) advances for immunotherapy in prostate cancer; and (xiii) updates from other recent prostate cancer clinical trials.

CONCLUSIONS

This article summarizes the research presented at the 2020 PCF Scientific Retreat. We hope that dissemination of this knowledge will help to accelerate and direct the next major advances in prostate cancer research and care.

The History of Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen as a Theranostic Target in Prostate Cancer: The Foundational Role of the Prostate Cancer Foundation

Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) is a credentialed imaging and therapy (theranostic) target for the detection and treatment of prostate cancer. PSMA-targeted positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and molecular radiotherapy (MRT) are promising evolving technologies that will improve the outcomes of prostate cancer patients. In anticipation of this new era in prostate cancer theranostics, this article will review the history of PSMA from discovery, through early and late stage clinical trials. Since 1993, the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) has funded critical and foundational PSMA research that established this theranostic revolution. The history and role of PCF funding in this field will be discussed.

The 26th Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation Scientific Retreat Report

BACKGROUND

The 26th Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) Scientific Retreat was held from October 24-26, 2019 in Carlsbad, CA.

METHODS

The Annual PCF Scientific Retreat is a global scientific research conference that focuses on the most promising and interesting new research in the prostate cancer field, and topics arising from other fields that have the potential to impact and advance prostate cancer research and clinical care.

RESULTS

The primary topic areas addressed at the 2019 PCF Retreat included: (i) new insights into prostate cancer biology and treatment; (ii) new drugs and drug targets in prostate cancer; (iii) advances in prostate cancer genomics; (iv) lessons from the multi-arm, multistage randomized phase 3 STAMPEDE trial; (v) advances in immunotherapy for prostate cancer; (vi) factors contributing to prostate cancer racial disparities; (vii) treatment-associated small-cell/neuroendocrine prostate cancer (t-SCNC); (viii) artificial intelligence and machine learning in cancer research and development; (ix) population science research on prostate cancer; and (x) prostate cancer research in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

CONCLUSIONS

This article reviews the presentations from the 2019 PCF Scientific Retreat. We hope that this knowledge will accelerate research leading to new understandings of prostate cancer biology and improve treatments for patients with prostate cancer.

Prostate Cancer Foundation Hormone-Sensitive Prostate Cancer Biomarker Working Group Meeting Summary

Androgen deprivation therapy remains the backbone therapy for the treatment of metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). In recent years, several treatments, including docetaxel, abiraterone + prednisone, enzalutamide, and apalutamide, have each been shown to demonstrate survival benefit when used upfront along with androgen deprivation therapy. However, treatment selection for an individual patient remains a challenge. There is no high level clinical evidence for treatment selection among these choices based on biological drivers of clinical disease. In August 2020, the Prostate Cancer Foundation convened a working group to meet and discuss biomarkers for hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, the proceedings of which are summarized here. This meeting covered the state of clinical and biological evidence for systemic therapies in the mHSPC space, with emphasis on charting a course for the generation, interrogation, and clinical implementation of biomarkers for treatment selection.

Accelerating precision medicine in metastatic prostate cancer

Despite advances in prostate cancer screening and treatment, available therapy options, particularly in later stages of the disease, remain limited and the treatment-resistant setting represents a serious unmet medical need. Moreover, disease heterogeneity and disparities in patient access to medical advances result in significant variability in outcomes across patients. Disease classification based on genomic sequencing is a promising approach to identify patients whose tumors exhibit actionable targets and make more informed treatment decisions. Here we discuss how we can accelerate precision oncology to inform broader genomically-driven clinical decisions for men with advanced prostate cancer, drug development and ultimately contribute to new treatment paradigms.

Meeting report from the Prostate Cancer Foundation PSMA theranostics state of the science meeting

INTRODUCTION

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) convened a PCF prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) Theranostics State of the Science Meeting on 18 November 2019, at Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY.

METHODS

The meeting was attended by 22 basic, translational, and clinical researchers from around the globe, with expertise in PSMA biology, development and use of PSMA theranostics agents, and clinical trials. The goal of this meeting was to discuss the current state of knowledge, the most important biological and clinical questions, and critical next steps for the clinical development of PSMA positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agents and PSMA-targeted radionuclide agents for patients with prostate cancer.

RESULTS

Several major topic areas were discussed including the biology of PSMA, the role of PSMA-targeted PET imaging in prostate cancer, the physics and performance of different PSMA-targeted PET imaging agents, the current state of clinical development of PSMA-targeted radionuclide therapy (RNT) agents, the role of dosimetry in PSMA RNT treatment planning, barriers and challenges in PSMA RNT clinical development, optimization of patient selection for PSMA RNT trials, and promising combination treatment approaches with PSMA RNT.

DISCUSSION

This article summarizes the presentations from the meeting for the purpose of globally disseminating this knowledge to advance the use of PSMA-targeted theranostic agents for imaging and treatment of patients with prostate cancer.

Using consistent terms in precision medicine to eliminate patient confusion

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Background: Biomarker testing has advanced precision medicine in cancer. However, not all eligible patients benefit from biomarker-driven therapies due to suboptimal testing rates. A working group of 20 patient advocacy groups representing solid/hematologic malignancies, three professional societies, and 18 pharmaceutical and diagnostics companies identified patient confusion inconsistent testing terms as a possible contributing factor to biomarker testing underutilization. The group aimed to address patients’ confusion by identifying and adopting consistent, plain language terms for biomarker and germline genetic testing that are applicable across cancer types. Methods: Following a stakeholder roundtable discussion on barriers to precision medicine, working group members participated in interviews on their goals for consistent testing terminology for their constituents. We then conducted a framework analysis covering five themes: available testing by cancer type; purpose of test; biospecimen source; terms used in patient education; and preferred plain language term. Working group members were surveyed on preferences for germline testing terminology and also deployed a preliminary patient survey to their constituents to gain insight on preferences for germline testing terms. Results: Interviews, framework analysis, and surveys revealed notable differences across cancer communities. We identified at least 33 different terms related to biomarker, genetic and genomic testing being used in patient education and clinical care among the different cancer communities and stakeholders. Terminology was complicated by the variety of testing modalities and gene mutations tested for across cancers. Following multiple discussions, working group members agreed on two umbrella terms to distinguish between somatic and germline testing with additional context for specific cancer communities. “Biomarker testing” was selected as the somatic testing term. “Genetic testing for an inherited mutation” and “genetic testing for inherited cancer risk” were selected as preferred germline testing terms. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the disparate testing terminology landscape and the need for consistent terms to reduce patient confusion, improve communication, facilitate shared decision-making and assure concordance in policy development.

Prostate cancer research: The next generation; report from the 2019 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy Meeting

INTRODUCTION

The 2019 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy (CHPCA) Meeting, "Prostate Cancer Research: The Next Generation," was held 20 to 23 June, 2019, in Los Angeles, California.

METHODS

The CHPCA Meeting is an annual conference held by the Prostate Cancer Foundation, that is uniquely structured to stimulate intense discussion surrounding topics most critical to accelerating prostate cancer research and the discovery of new life-extending treatments for patients. The 7th Annual CHPCA Meeting was attended by 86 investigators and concentrated on many of the most promising new treatment opportunities and next-generation research technologies.

RESULTS

The topics of focus at the meeting included: new treatment strategies and novel agents for targeted therapies and precision medicine, new treatment strategies that may synergize with checkpoint immunotherapy, next-generation technologies that visualize tumor microenvironment (TME) and molecular pathology in situ, multi-omics and tumor heterogeneity using single cells, 3D and TME models, and the role of extracellular vesicles in cancer and their potential as biomarkers.

DISCUSSION

This meeting report provides a comprehensive summary of the talks and discussions held at the 2019 CHPCA Meeting, for the purpose of globally disseminating this knowledge and ultimately accelerating new treatments and diagnostics for patients with prostate cancer.

Advances in germline genetics for prostate cancer funded by the Prostate Cancer Foundation

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world's largest non-profit organization that funds patient-centric prostate cancer research. PCF has funded numerous critical studies surrounding the identification, biology, and clinical significance of prostate cancer germline and somatic genetic alterations, and is accelerating the application of these findings to improving outcomes for patients and their families.

The 25th Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation Scientific Retreat Report

BACKGROUND

The 25th Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) Scientific Retreat was held in Carlsbad, CA, from 26 to 28 October 2018.

METHODS

The PCF Scientific Retreat is the foremost scientific research conference in the world that focuses on the most significant and promising recent advancements in basic, translational, and clinical prostate cancer research, as well as research from other fields that has substantial potential to advance prostate cancer research.

RESULTS

The major topic areas discussed at this year's meeting included (a) new insights into prostate cancer biology and treatment; (b) approaches for accelerating precision medicine for prostate cancer; (c) prostate-specific membrane antigen-targeted therapy and imaging for prostate cancer; (d) updates on Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-inhibitor clinical trial results; (e) the biology and role of prostate cancer stem cells; (f) new approaches for targeting the androgen receptor and other steroid hormone receptor pathways; (g) racial disparities in prostate cancer treatment and outcomes; (h) the role of the nervous system in prostate cancer development and progression; (i) the role of the WNT signaling pathway in normal prostate and prostate cancer biology; (j) novel immunotherapy approaches; and (k) the ecology of prostate cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

This article reviews the research presented by the speakers at the 2018 PCF Scientific Retreat for the purpose of disseminating this knowledge to the global research community and ultimately accelerating new understandings and treatment strategies for prostate cancer.

Tumor cell heterogeneity and resistance; report from the 2018 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy Meeting

INTRODUCTION

The 2018 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy (CHPCA) Meeting, "Tumor Cell Heterogeneity and Resistance," was held in Los Angeles, California from June 21 to 24, 2018.

METHODS

The CHPCA Meeting is a unique, discussion-oriented scientific conference convened annually by the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF), which focuses on the most critical topics in need of further study to advance the treatment of lethal prostate cancer. The 6th Annual CHPCA Meeting was attended by 70 investigators and concentrated on prostate cancer heterogeneity and treatment resistance.

RESULTS

The meeting focused on topics including: recognition of tumor heterogeneity, molecular drivers of heterogeneity, the role of the tumor microenvironment, the role of heterogeneity in disease progression, metastasis and treatment resistance, clinical trials designed to target resistance and tumor heterogeneity, and immunotherapeutic approaches to target and overcome tumor heterogeneity.

DISCUSSION

This review article summarizes the presentations and discussions from the 2018 CHPCA Meeting in order to share this knowledge with the scientific community and encourage new studies that will lead to improved treatments and outcomes for men with prostate cancer.

The 24th Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation scientific retreat report

INTRODUCTION

The 24th Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) Scientific Retreat was held from October 5-7, 2017, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC.

METHODS

The PCF Scientific Retreat is a scientific conference that specifically focuses on cutting edge research deemed to have significant promise for accelerating advances in prostate cancer biology and treatment.

RESULTS

Themes highlighted at this year's meeting included: (i) new understandings in prostate cancer biology and disease progression; (ii) new mechanisms and treatment targets in advanced prostate cancer; (iii) advances in precision medicine genomics, germline genetics, and selection of targeted therapies; (iv) PSMA-targeted agents for PET imaging and radionuclide therapy; (v) approaches for improving the efficacy of immunotherapy in prostate cancer; (vi) applications of 3D Genomics in prostate cancer research; and (vii) potential applications of artificial intelligence in prostate cancer.

DISCUSSION

This article reviews the research presented at the PCF Scientific Retreat, in order to improve understanding of the current state of prostate cancer research, encourage discourse and exchange of novel ideas, and stimulate new basic, translational, and clinical research that will ultimately improve the lives of patients.

Meeting report from the Prostate Cancer Foundation PSMA-directed radionuclide scientific working group

INTRODUCTION

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) convened a PSMA-Directed Radionuclide Scientific Working Group on November 14, 2017, at Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY.

METHODS

The meeting was attended by 35 global investigators with expertise in prostate cancer biology, radionuclide therapy, molecular imaging, prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted agents, drug development, and prostate cancer clinical trials. The goal of this meeting was to discuss the potential for using PSMA-targeted radionuclide agents for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer and to define the studies and clinical trials necessary for validating and optimizing the use of these agents.

RESULTS

Several major topic areas were discussed including the overview of PSMA biology, lessons and applications of PSMA-targeted PET imaging, the nuances of designing PSMA-targeted radionuclide agents, clinical experiences with PSMA-targeted radionuclides, PCF-funded projects to accelerate PSMA-targeted radionuclide therapy, and barriers to the use of radionuclide treatments in widespread clinical practice.

DISCUSSION

This article reviews the major topics discussed at the meeting with the goal of promoting research that will validate and optimize the use of PSMA-targeted radionuclide therapies for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.

Beyond the androgen receptor II: New approaches to understanding and treating metastatic prostate cancer; Report from the 2017 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy Meeting

INTRODUCTION

The 2017 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy (CHPCA) Meeting, "Beyond the Androgen Receptor II: New Approaches to Understanding and Treating Metastatic Prostate Cancer," was held in Carlsbad, California from June 14-17, 2017.

METHODS

The CHPCA is an annual scientific conference hosted by the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) that is uniquely designed to produce extensive and constructive discussions on the most urgent and impactful topics concerning research into the biology and treatment of metastatic prostate cancer. The 2017 CHPCA Meeting was the 5th meeting in this annual series and was attended by 71 investigators focused on prostate cancer and a variety of other fields including breast and ovarian cancer.

RESULTS

The discussions at the meeting were concentrated on topics areas including: mechanisms and therapeutic approaches for molecular subclasses of castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), the epigenetic landscape of prostate cancer, the role of DNA repair gene mutations, advancing the use of germline genetics in clinical practice, radionuclides for imaging and therapy, advances in molecular imaging, and therapeutic strategies for successful use of immunotherapy in advanced prostate cancer.

DISCUSSION

This article reviews the presentations and discussions from the 2017 CHPCA Meeting in order to disseminate this knowledge and accelerate new biological understandings and advances in the treatment of patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

The 23rd Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation Scientific Retreat report

INTRODUCTION

The 23rd Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) Scientific Retreat was convened October 27-29, 2016, in Carlsbad, CA.

METHODS

This event focuses on the latest advances in basic, translational, and clinical prostate cancer research with the greatest promise for advancing our understanding of prostate cancer biology and improving patient outcomes and quality of life.

RESULTS

Themes highlighted at this year's meeting included: i) targeting DNA repair deficiency in prostate cancer; ii) optimizing the use of Radium-223 and bone-targeting agents; iii) advances in cancer immunotherapeutic approaches; iv) targeting developmental pathways in prostate cancer; v) advances in circulating tumor DNA technology and applications; vi) precision survivorship; and vii) novel treatments and treatment strategies in prostate cancer.

DISCUSSION

This article reviews the key advances discussed at the Retreat for the purpose of disseminating this knowledge to accelerate the development of new treatments and improved outcomes for men suffering with prostate cancer.

Meeting Report From the Prostate Cancer Foundation Scientific Working Group on Radium-223

INTRODUCTION

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) convened a Scientific Working Group Meeting on Radium-223 on September 8, 2016, at The Sidney Kimmel Center for Prostate and Urologic Cancers, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

METHODS

The meeting was attended by 18 investigators with expertise in radium-223, bone biology, molecular imaging, biomarkers, and prostate cancer clinical trials. The goal of this meeting was to discuss the known and unknown surroundings the therapeutic effects of the bone targeting agent radium-223, in bone metastatic prostate cancer therapy, and to outline the most critical studies needed to improve the clinical use of this agent.

RESULTS

Three major topic areas were discussed: (1) the basic science of radium; (2) immuno-adjuvant properties of radium therapy; and (3) high impact clinical trials and correlative science.

DISCUSSION

This article reviews the major topics discussed at the meeting for the purpose of accelerating studies that will improve the use of radium-223 in the treatment of prostate cancer patients. Prostate 77:245-254, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Beyond Seed and Soil: Understanding and Targeting Metastatic Prostate Cancer; Report From the 2016 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy Meeting

INTRODUCTION

The 2016 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy (CHPCA) Meeting, "Beyond Seed and Soil: Understanding and Targeting Metastatic Prostate Cancer," was held from June 23 to June 26, 2016, in Coronado, California.

METHODS

For the 4th year in a row, the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) hosted the CHPCA Meeting, a think tank-structured scientific conference, which focuses on a specific topic of critical unmet need on the biology and treatment of advanced prostate cancer. The 2016 CHPCA Meeting was attended by 71 investigators from prostate cancer and other fields, who discussed the biology, study methodologies, treatment strategies, and critical unmet needs concerning metastatic prostate cancer, with the ultimate goal of advancing strategies to treat and eliminate this disease.

RESULTS

The major topics of discussion included: the molecular landscape and molecular heterogeneity of metastatic prostate cancer, the role of the metastatic microenvironment, optimizing immunotherapy in metastatic prostate cancer, learning from exceptional responders and non-responders, targeting DNA repair deficiency in advanced prostate cancer, developing and applying novel biomarkers and imaging techniques, and potential roles for the microbiome in prostate cancer.

DISCUSSION

This article reviews the topics presented and discussions held at the CHPCA Meeting, with a focus on the unknowns and next steps needed to advance our understanding of the biology and most effective treatment strategies for metastatic prostate cancer. Prostate 77:123-144, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

IL6 Signaling in Peripheral Blood T Cells Predicts Clinical Outcome in Breast Cancer

IL6 is a pleiotropic cytokine with both pro- and anti-inflammatory properties, which acts directly on cancer cells to promote their survival and proliferation. Elevated serum IL6 levels negatively correlate with survival of cancer patients, which is generally attributed to the direct effects of IL6 on cancer cells. How IL6 modulates the host immune response in cancer patients is unclear. Here, we show the IL6 signaling response in peripheral blood T cells is impaired in breast cancer patients and is associated with blunted Th17 differentiation. The mechanism identified involved downregulation of gp130 and IL6Rα in breast cancer patients and was independent of plasma IL6 levels. Importantly, defective IL6 signaling in peripheral blood T cells at diagnosis correlated with worse relapse-free survival. These results indicate that intact IL6 signaling in T cells is important for controlling cancer progression. Furthermore, they highlight a potential for IL6 signaling response in peripheral blood T cells at diagnosis as a predictive biomarker for clinical outcome of breast cancer patients. Cancer Res; 77(5); 1119-26. ©2016 AACR.

The 22nd annual prostate cancer foundation scientific retreat report

The 22nd Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) Scientific Retreat was convened in Washington, D.C. from October 8 to 10, 2015. This event is the foremost scientific conference in the world focusing on basic, translational, and clinical prostate cancer research with the highest potential for accelerating the understanding of prostate cancer biology and improving the lives and outcomes of prostate cancer patients. Topics highlighted during the 2015 Retreat included: (i) new strategies and treatments for localized high-risk, hormone-naïve, oligometastatic, castrate-resistant, and treatment-refractory prostate cancer settings; (ii) the biology and genomics of tumor heterogeneity and tumor evolution; (iii) new understandings on the mechanisms and targeting of oncogenic drivers of prostate cancer; (iv) bioengineering of novel therapies and drug delivery methods; (v) innovative approaches to tumor immunotherapy; (vi) emerging molecular imaging technologies with improved sensitivity and specificity; and (vii) advancements in prognostic and predictive biomarkers and precision medicine strategies. Prostate 76:1037-1052, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Multidisciplinary intervention of early, lethal metastatic prostate cancer: Report from the 2015 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy Meeting

BACKGROUND

The 2015 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy Meeting, themed: "Multidisciplinary Intervention of Early, Lethal Metastatic Prostate Cancer," was held in La Jolla, California from June 25 to 28, 2015.

METHODS

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) sponsors an annual, invitation-only, action-tank-structured meeting on a critical topic concerning lethal prostate cancer. The 2015 meeting was attended by 71 basic, translational, and clinical investigators who discussed the current state of the field, major unmet needs, and ideas for addressing earlier diagnosis and treatment of men with lethal prostate cancer for the purpose of extending lives and making progress toward a cure.

RESULTS

The questions addressed at the meeting included: cellular and molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis, evaluating, and targeting the microenvironment in the primary tumor, advancing biomarkers for clinical integration, new molecular imaging technologies, clinical trials, and clinical trial design in localized high-risk and oligometastatic settings, targeting the primary tumor in advanced disease, and instituting multi-modal care of high risk and oligometastatic patients.

DISCUSSION

This article highlights the current status, greatest unmet needs, and anticipated field changes that were discussed at the meeting toward the goal of optimizing earlier interventions to potentiate cures in high-risk and oligometastatic prostate cancer patients.

Global developments in prostate cancer research and clinical practice

The prostate cancer foundation (PCF) is committed to the facilitation of global knowledge exchange as a mechanism for more rapidly discovering and developing new medicines and treatments for prostate cancer (PCa) patients worldwide. For the past 3 years, PCF has partnered with the Chinese Prostate Cancer Consortium and Shanghai Changhai Hospital to host a conference in China that brings together basic, translational, and clinical researchers from China and abroad to form new partnerships and exchange findings, insights, perspectives, and ideas toward improving the treatment of PCa. The seventh forum of prostate disease held in Shanghai, China, on July 26–28, 2013, focused on current and emerging developments and approaches in PCa diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment, and the discovery and targeting of disease mechanisms that drive metastasis and lethal subtypes of castrate-resistant PCa (CRPC). This special edition of the Asian Journal of Andrology highlights some of the most pressing topics that were presented and discussed at the forum.

The 21st Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation Scientific Retreat report

The 21st Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) Scientific Retreat was held from October 23-25, 2014, in Carlsbad, CA. This event is the world's foremost scientific meeting focusing on prostate cancer and brings together leading basic, translational and clinical researchers in prostate cancer and other diverse disciplines to discuss the newest findings most likely to advance the understanding of prostate cancer and the clinical care of prostate cancer patients. This year's meeting highlighted themes including: (i) research integrity and standards for scientific reproducibility; (ii) prostate cancer disparities; (iii) mechanisms and models of prostate cancer progression and dormancy; (iv) mechanisms of therapeutic resistance; and (v) advancements in precision medicine treatments, treatment models, and predictive and prognostic biomarkers.

Beyond immune checkpoint blockade: new approaches to targeting host-tumor interactions in prostate cancer: report from the 2014 Coffey-Holden prostate cancer academy meeting

INTRODUCTION

The 2014 Coffey-Holden Prostate Cancer Academy Meeting, held in La Jolla, CA from June 26 to 29, 2014, was themed: "Beyond Immune Checkpoint Blockade: New Approaches to Targeting Host-Tumor Interactions in Prostate Cancer."

METHODS

Sponsored by the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF), this annual, invitation-only meeting is structured as an action-tank, and brought together 72 investigators with diverse academic backgrounds to discuss the most relevant topics in the fields of prostate cancer immunotherapy and the tumor microenvironment.

RESULTS

The questions addressed at the meeting included: mechanisms underlying the successes and failures of prostate cancer immunotherapies, how to trigger an effective immune response against prostate cancer, the tumor microenvironment and its role in therapy resistance and tumor metastasis, clinically relevant prostate cancer mouse models, how host-tumor interactions affect current therapies and tumor phenotypes, application of principles of precision medicine to prostate cancer immunotherapy, optimizing immunotherapy clinical trial design, and complex multi-system interactions that affect prostate cancer and immune responses including the effects of obesity and the potential role of the host microbiome.

DISCUSSION

This article highlights the most significant recent progress and unmet needs that were discussed at the meeting toward the goal of speeding the development of optimal immunotherapies for the treatment of prostate cancer.

The 20th Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation Scientific Retreat report

The 20th Annual Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) Scientific Retreat was held from October 24 to 26, 2013, in National Harbor, Maryland. This event is held annually for the purpose of convening a diverse group of leading experimental and clinical researchers from academia, industry, and government to present and discuss critical and emerging topics relevant to prostate cancer (PCa) biology, and the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of PCa patients, with a focus on results that will lend to treatments for the most life-threatening stages of this disease. The themes that were highlighted at this year's event included: (i) mechanisms of PCa initiation and progression: cellular origins, neurons and neuroendocrine PCa, long non-coding RNAs, epigenetics, tumor cell metabolism, tumor-immune interactions, and novel molecular mechanisms; (ii) advancements in precision medicine strategies and predictive biomarkers of progression, survival, and drug sensitivities, including the analysis of circulating tumor cells and cell-free tumor DNA-new methods for liquid biopsies; (iii) new treatments including epigenomic therapy and immunotherapy, discovery of new treatment targets, and defining and targeting mechanisms of resistance to androgen-axis therapeutics; and (iv) new experimental and clinical epidemiology methods and techniques, including PCa population studies using patho-epidemiology.

Abstract A51: Identification of cytokine network signaling abnormalities in immune cells from cancer patients

The innate and adaptive immune systems have the capacity to recognize and eliminate transformed cells while the ability of tumors to evade and abrogate immune functions appears to be a requisite for disease progression. Abnormalities in essentially every immune population have been documented in cancer patients and murine tumor models. Thus, the immune system is a crucial target for cancer therapeutics in order to achieve a true cure.

The cytokine JAK-STAT signaling network is a key instrument of immune system communication and directs a multitude of immune functions. Because of the integral role in regulation of immune functions as well as the intricate crosstalk that occurs within cytokine signaling networks, alterations in these networks in cancer patients are likely to be key contributing factors in immune dysfunction.

We have previously shown that IFNα and IFNγ signaling are impaired in lymphocytes from breast cancer, melanoma, and gastrointestinal cancer patients. In this study we sought to determine whether additional cytokine signaling pathways are altered in immune cells from cancer patients. Phospho-flow cytometry was used to measure STAT phosphorylation in response to 10 cytokines from the IFN, gp130, γC, and the IL3 cytokine families, to provide a broad picture of the global cytokine network in peripheral blood immune cells. Included in this analysis were patient cohorts with various carcinomas including breast, lung, gastrointestinal, and melanoma, as well as patients with psoriasis, an epidermal hyperplasia resulting from chronic inflammatory cytokine production by persistently activated immune cells.

Preliminary analysis of our study has revealed that compared with healthy controls, cancer and psoriasis patients exhibit altered responses to multiple additional cytokines in various immune cell subsets. We hypothesize that chronic inflammation which occurs in the settings of both cancer and psoriasis contributes to cytokine signaling defects and are exploring the mechanisms and the functional consequences of these defects on T cell function.

Understanding how alterations in cytokine responsiveness contribute to immune dysfunction will enable correction of these signaling defects to restore anti-tumor immune function and enhance the ability of the host immune response to control cancer.

This work was supported by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command under W81XWH-10-1-0616 and W81XWH-06-1-0417, NIH Molecular and Cellular Immunobiology Training Grant No. 5 T32 AI07290-24, and NIH R01 CA130817.

Citation Format: Andrea K. Miyahira, Diana L. Simons, Frederick Dirbas, Ellie Guardino, Shruti Sheth, Robert Carlson, Peter P. Lee. Identification of cytokine network signaling abnormalities in immune cells from cancer patients. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology: Multidisciplinary Science Driving Basic and Clinical Advances; Dec 2-5, 2012; Miami, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(1 Suppl):Abstract nr A51.

Toll-like receptor 3-mediated suppression of TRAMP prostate cancer shows the critical role of type I interferons in tumor immune surveillance

Inflammation has increasingly been recognized as a critical component influencing tumor growth. Recent reports have revealed conflicting evidence for the role of Toll-like receptors (TLR) in modulating tumorigenesis. In our study, we implicate TLR3 in mediating immune surveillance with increased growth of implanted transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) tumors in TLR3(-/-) compared with TLR3(+/+) mice. Activation of TLR3 by polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (polyI:C) leads to induction of multiple inflammatory pathways, including NF-kappaB, mitogen-activated protein kinases, and interferon (IFN) regulatory factors. We explored the potential of TLR3 stimulation in prostate cancer immunotherapy and showed that treatment with polyI:C can strongly suppress both s.c. implanted TRAMP tumors in syngenic mice as well as orthotopic prostate cancers in TRAMP C57Bl6 x FvB F1 Tg(+/-) transgenic mice. Treated tumors remained well differentiated to moderately differentiated with increased infiltration of T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells compared with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma observed in untreated tumors. Like TLR3(-/-) mice, IFN-alpha receptor 1 (IFNAR1)(-/-) mice exhibited reduced tumor surveillance and impaired tumor suppression following polyI:C treatment. We observed that type I IFN-dependent induction of cytokines was responsible for NK activation, with depletion of NK cells leading to increased tumor growth as well as expansion of CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) T regulatory lymphocytes. Our study therefore delineates the importance of IFNAR-dependent functions in TLR3-mediated tumor suppression and supports the use of TLR3 agonists for prostate cancer immune-based therapies.

TANK-binding kinase-1 plays an important role during in vitro and in vivo type I IFN responses to DNA virus infections

TANK-binding kinase-1 (TBK1) and the inducible IkappaB kinase (IKK-i) have recently been shown to activate type I IFN responses elicited by intracellular detection of RNA or DNA from infecting viruses. Detection of viral RNA is mediated by retinoic acid inducible gene-I or melanoma differentiation-associated gene-5 pathways in which TBK1 and IKK-i have been demonstrated to play redundant roles in IFN activation. In this study, we have examined whether such redundancy occurs in the type I IFN response to DNA viral challenges by examining induction of IFNs and IFN-mediated signaling and gene programs in TBK1(-/-) macrophages. In contrast to the normal IFN responses in TBK1(-/-) macrophages infected with an RNA virus, IFN responses were severely abrogated during DNA virus infections in TBK1(-/-) macrophages. Because both TBK1 and IKK-i are expressed in macrophages, our studies suggest that TBK1 and IKK-i differ functionally in DNA virus-mediated IFN responses; however, they are redundant in RNA virus-mediated IFN responses. Confirmatively, reconstitution of TBK1(-/-)IKK-i(-/-) fibroblasts revealed that TBK1 rescued IFN responses to transfected B-DNA to a much stronger degree than IKK-i. Finally, we demonstrate the requirement for the TBK1-IFN regulatory factor-3 pathway in host defense against a DNA virus infection in vivo.

IRF3-dependent type I interferon response in B cells regulates CpG-mediated antibody production

Hypomethylated CpG oligonucleotides (CpG) are not only potent adjuvants for enhancing adaptive immune responses but may also play a critical role in the development of autoimmune diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Here we provide evidence that, in addition to dendritic cells, murine B lymphocytes also exhibit a type I IFN response to CpG-B. Unlike dendritic cells, B cell-mediated type I IFN induction depended on the transcription factor IRF3, but similar to dendritic cells this pathway was independent of the IRF3 kinase TBK1. Utilizing type I IFN receptor-deficient mice, we were able to demonstrate that this IFN pathway enhanced Syndecan-1 expression and IgM production and was required for IgG2a production following CpG-B stimulation. Overall, our findings identify a unique IFN pathway in B cells that may play a central role in mediating B cell biology in response to CpG, potentially implicating this pathway in autoantibody production and the pathogenesis of certain autoimmune diseases.