Prostate Cancer Cohort Consortium (PC3)

Lauren Hurwitz (Hurwitz, Lauren (NIH/NCI) [F] <lauren.hurwitz@nih.gov>)
Burcu Darst: bdarst@fredhutch.org
Corinne E. Joshu, PhD MPH (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, cjoshu1@jhu.edu)

NIH Intramural Research Program

There is emerging evidence of unique molecular subtypes in prostate cancer. These subtypes may have different etiologies and prognostic value, and their prevalence differences by race/ethnicity. Few epidemiological studies to date have prospectively collected epidemiological data linked with prostate tumor tissue as well as long-term follow-up for cancer outcomes. The integration of such data is urgently needed to move the field forward around primary and secondary prostate cancer prevention, to understand the underlying disparities in prostate cancer, as well as to use tissue biomarker data to understand biological mechanisms. The idea for this working group stemmed from an initial collaboration with Drs. Jacobs and Mucci on a prostate cancer tissue biomarker project, as well as Dr. Mucci’s role on the NCI Cohort Consortium Tissue Working Group. Although the BPC3 has provided a forum for collaboration on genetic epidemiology studies of prostate cancer, there is to date no formal forum for epidemiological researchers working on prostate tissue biomarker studies to come together. In general, there is limited information across cohort studies of work going on in this area.

The overall goal of this working group is to create a venue and mechanism by which prostate cancer researchers interested in integrating tissue biomarkers in cancer epidemiology cohorts can work together to accelerate scientific discoveries in prostate cancer epidemiology. Through this working group, we would hope to provide researchers with a forum to share resources and knowledge in prostate tissue biomarkers, and to build collaborative studies.

(1) provide information on prostate cancer resources available across the cancer epidemiology cohorts, including biospecimens;
(2) create a forum for investigators interested in proposing collaborative studies across the cohorts; (3) identify topics in which a collaborative study would be more successful, such as when an exposure category or disease subtype is rare and statistical power is an issue; and
(4) synergize the expertise of the diverse working group members in order to accelerate science on prostate cancer epidemiology.

2017-The initial step in this working group will be to meet in conjunction with the Cohort Consortium Meeting, and invite all interested participants to attend. In this first meeting, we will invite attendees to give a short presentation or overview of the prostate tissue resources available in their cohorts as well as plans to collect tissue. In addition, we will invite colleagues to give an overview of tissue biomarkers they have collected to date as well as focus areas of research in order to identify opportunities for synergy. This initial meeting will help set the stage for possible collaborations. In follow-up meetings, we will build consensus and identify 2 to 3 focused collaborative projects based on mutual interests. Ultimately the goal will be to submit grant applications for collaborative research in prostate cancer.

2018-At the 2018 Cohort Consortium Meeting, PC3 working group members will briefly summarize prostate cancer data and biospecimen resources across cohorts and provided updates on the potential PC3 projects discussed at last year’s meeting. We will then have a discussion on methods for collaborations in PC3, including building upon the infrastructure of other collaborative projects, data/material transfer agreements, and data harmonization and access. Finally, we will discuss next steps for the group manuscripts on prostate cancer definitions and risk factors described above.

2019-We will continue to discuss and refine this definition with the members of the Prostate Cancer Cohort Consortium (PC3) working group. Ultimately, we hope that a consensus definition will result in greater homogeneity between research studies, helping us elucidate prostate cancer etiology with the goal of improving prostate cancer prevention.

To accelerate scientific discoveries in prostate cancer epidemiology, it is vital to bring together prospectively collected epidemiological risk factor data, tissue repositories, follow-up for cancer incidence and mortality, as well as other biospecimens such as plasma and DNA. The cohort consortium is unique in bringing together_x000D_
prostate cancer epidemiologists as well as cohort resources to tackle key scientific questions in prostate cancer.

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