New hope for prostate cancer patients this Christmas
For David Southward, Christmas is a time for family, gratitude, and hope. Diagnosed two years ago with advanced prostate cancer, he has been navigating his battle with hormone therapy and a determination to stay active.
“I’ve found regular exercise helps me stay positive,” he says. “But at the end of the day, we need better treatments. Research gives men like me a chance to spend more time with our loved ones.”
This year, the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) is making that wish a reality through its Christmas Appeal, focused on advancing targeted nuclear medicines.
These therapies offer new hope for men like David by addressing metastatic prostate cancer, the most aggressive form of the disease.
Australia is leading the development of nuclear medicines that target cancer cells with precision. However, PCFA Chief Executive Anne Savage stresses the need for more research to understand why patients respond differently to these therapies.
“For every 10 men diagnosed with prostate cancer, three will develop an aggressive form,” Savage says. “We’re working to help researchers predict which patients will become resistant to radioligand therapy, so they can win the battle and live longer.”
One of PCFA's key projects is led by Dr. Kevin Koo, focusing on Alpha Therapy, an emerging treatment for metastatic prostate cancer. This innovative approach aims to shrink tumors and harness the immune system to eradicate cancer cells.
“Targeted Alpha Therapy is a promising treatment for metastatic prostate cancer,” says Dr. Koo. “Our challenge is to identify men at risk of developing metastasis, sparing others from unnecessary treatments.”
While Alpha Therapies show great potential, researchers still lack a full understanding of their mechanisms.
“With most radioligand therapies, tumors shrink on scans, but we don’t fully understand the biological pathways driving this,” Dr. Koo notes. “This becomes problematic when patients develop resistance.”
Dr. Koo’s team is collecting blood samples to identify biomarkers that predict resistance.
“In three to five years, we could significantly improve how we tailor therapies to individual patients,” he says.
The Christmas Appeal is part of PCFA’s broader mission to lift survival rates and improve quality of life for prostate cancer patients. Over the past 30 years, the organization has helped increase survival rates from 82% to nearly 96%, but more work is needed.
“Despite progress, 10 men die every day from prostate cancer in Australia,” Savage says. “With an ageing population, research has never been more important.”
For David Southward, new treatments represent a chance to keep celebrating Christmas with his family. “Research is hope,” he says.
To support PCFA’s Christmas Appeal and help fund lifesaving research, visit: https://giving.pcfa.org.au
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