Center for Prostate Disease Research
"CPDR is so well recognized that people from across the country and all over the world choose to come here."—CPDR Director Colonel (Ret.) David McLeod, M.D., J.D.
In little more than a decade, more than 11,000 men in the DoD system have been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Directed by Colonel (Ret.) David McLeod, M.D., J.D., and established in conjunction with USU and HJF, the Center for Prostate Disease Research has grown into a leading clinical and research center.
Leading-edge Research
A multi-disciplinary team of researchers led by CPDR Co-director and Scientific Director and USU Associate Professor Shiv Srivastava, Ph.D., reported discovery of the common overexpression of the ETS-Related Gene (ERG) in prostate cancer.
The study showed ERG expression alterations in a large fraction of prostate cancer cells. Also shown was the fact that certain features of ERG expression have potential as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. The discovery was later recognized in Science.
The Center's discovery was the result of a highly coordinated effort by urologists, pathologists and cancer biologists from Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), USU, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and the National Human Genome Research Institute, with support from HJF.
Extensive Database and Biorepository
The CPDR Multi-center National Database Program collects comprehensive data to help researchers learn more about prostate disease. It enables researchers to conduct critical studies using existing data.
In addition, the program has a large biorepository that contains well-characterized prostate tissue and related biological samples. The specimens, linked to clinical and pathological data, are available for translational prostate cancer research projects both within and outside CPDR.
Outstanding Clinical Care
CPDR continues to make advances on the clinical front, as well. The Center has adopted a multidisciplinary approach to treatment that is proving very successful. Patients receiving treatment at WRAMC have the opportunity to meet with urologists and either radiation therapy or medical oncology professionals (depending on the stage of their disease) in a single office visit. More than 400 prostate cancer patients at WRAMC have been seen using this approach.