Epigenetic Therapy for Prostate Cancer

This trial explores a new treatment for prostate cancer that aims to boost the body's immune response to the tumor. The focus is on neoadjuvant epigenetic therapy, which changes how certain genes are expressed without altering the DNA sequence, to determine if it can make the cancer more sensitive to the immune system. Men scheduled for prostate surgery with pre-surgery tissue samples available might be suitable for this study. The main goal is to assess the treatment's safety and effectiveness against the tumor. As an Early Phase 1 trial, this research seeks to understand how the treatment works in people, offering participants the opportunity to be among the first to receive this innovative therapy.

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, if you are on other anti-cancer therapies, you may need to stop those before participating.

Research shows that epigenetic therapy, tested before prostate surgery, aims to enhance the body's immune response against cancer. Although specific safety data from past studies on this therapy is lacking, early trials like this one often focus on safety assessment. In this trial phase, researchers primarily evaluate how well participants tolerate the treatment.

Unlike the standard treatments for prostate cancer, which often include surgery, radiation, or hormone therapy, Neoadjuvant Epigenetic Therapy acts on the very blueprint of cancer cells—their DNA. This therapy targets epigenetic changes, which are like switches that turn genes on or off without altering the DNA sequence itself. Researchers are excited because this approach has the potential to reverse the cancer cells' growth patterns by reprogramming them back to a normal state. This could lead to more effective treatments with fewer side effects, offering new hope for patients with prostate cancer.

Research has shown that altering certain biological pathways can affect prostate cancer growth. For example, one study found that reducing levels of a specific gene called ARNTL led to a noticeable slowdown in the growth of prostate cancer cells. The Neoadjuvant Epigenetic Therapy under study in this trial aims to help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively. Although detailed information on its effects in humans with prostate cancer remains limited, similar treatments for other cancer types have shown promising results. This suggests that epigenetic therapy might also be effective for treating prostate cancer.¹⁴⁶⁷⁸