St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne Prostate Cancer Consortium

Chief Investigators 

Mr Jeremy Goad, Urologist¹
Dr Cathy Temelcos, Urologist¹

Assoc Prof Kenneth Opeskin, Pathologist²
Assoc Prof Erik Thompson, Scientist³
Dr Elizabeth Williams, Scientist⁴

Affiliations

1. Urology, St. Vincent’s Hospital (Melbourne)

2. Anatomical Pathology, St. Vincent’s Hospital (Melbourne)

3. Surgery (St. Vincent’s Hospital), University of Melbourne

4. Monash Institute of Medical Research, Monash University

Research Activity

The major areas of research are the mechanisms underlying prostate cancer metastasis, with a specific focus on bone and lymph node metastasis, matrix metalloproteinases, epithelio-mesenchymal transition, and the role of stem cells in prostate cancer. In addition to utilizing existing in vitro and in vivo models, the group has developed new models of prostate cancer to determine the key players in prostate cancer progression and metastasis.

We have also established a tissue collection program in which patients undergoing surgery for prostate cancer have the option donate tissue to research. This program is an important link between laboratory research and the clinic, as it allows direct assessment of the findings from model systems in human cancer. Prostate cancer cell outgrowths from some of the tissues have been immortalized by Onyvax Ltd (UK) for the generation of new cell lines for vaccine development (Onyvax Ltd) and as research tools.

Research Areas of Expertise:

Epithelio-mesenchymal transition, growth factor and cytokine signaling pathways, in vitro invasion and migration assays, in vivo xenograft models, matrix metallo-proteinases, prostate cancer metastasis, prostate cancer stem cells, human prostate endothelial cell isolation (vascular & lymphatic)

Laboratory areas of expertise – in vivo models

Xenografting in immunocompromised mice:

• Established cell lines

• Clinical material

Routes of inoculation: intra-prostatic, intra-cardiac, intra-tibial, subcutaneous

Major prostate cancer related grants (last 5 years)

• Mechanisms underlying prostate cancer lymph node metastasis. 2007-2008, $70,000 p.a. The Cancer Council Victoria; Williams ED, Opeskin K, Temelcos C

Selected prostate cancer related publications (last 5 years)

• Chandler JD, Williams ED, Slavin JL, Best JD, Rogers S. Expression and localisation of GLUT1 and GLUT12 in prostate cancer. Cancer. 97: 2035-42, 2003.

• Zeng Y, Opeskin K, Baldwin ME, Horvath LG, Achen MG, Stacker SA, Sutherland RL and Williams ED. Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor-3 by lymphatic endothelial cells is associated with lymph node metastasis in prostate cancer. Clinical Cancer Research. 10: 5137-5144, 2004.

• Thompson EW, Waltham M, Ramus SJ, Hutchins A, Armes JE, Campbell IG, Williams ED, Thompson PR, Rae JM, Johnson MD and Clarke R. (2004) LCC15-MB cells are MDA-MB-435: A Review of Misidentified Breast and Prostate Cell Lines, Clinical and Experimental Metastasis, 21: 535-541.

• Hammacher A, Thompson EW and Williams ED. Interleukin-6 (IL6) is a potent inducer of S100P, an androgen receptor dependent molecule up-regulated in androgen refractory prostate cancer. International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, 37: 442-450, 2005.

• McCulloch DR, Opeskin K, Thompson EW, Williams ED. BM18: A Novel Androgen Dependent Human Prostate Cancer Xenograft Model Derived From a Bone Metastasis. The Prostate, in press, 2005.

• Zeng Y, Opeskin K, Horvath LG, Sutherland RL, Williams ED. Lymphatic Vessel Density and Lymph Node Metastasis in Prostate Cancer. Prostate. 65: 222-230, 2005.

• Chaffer CL, Thomas DM, Thompson EW, Williams ED. PPAR-independent induction of growth arrest and apoptosis in bladder and prostate carcinoma. BMC Cancer. 6:53, 2006.

• Zeng Y, Opeskin K, Goad J, Williams ED. Tumor-induced activation of lymphatic endothelial cells via VEGF receptor-2 is critical for prostate cancer lymphatic metastasis. Cancer Research. 66: 9566-9575, 2006.