Prostate cancer kills 10,000 men every year

UNIVERSITY of Ulster researchers have received a £214,000 grant in a bid to find ways to cut the spread of prostate cancer.

Prostrate Cancer UK has awarded the grant as part of an £11m investment in 2013 for research into prostate cancer to find better treatments for men struck with the cancer which annually kills 10,000 men.

Lead UU researcher Dr Jenny Worthington said: “Our study aims to improve the treatment of advanced prostate cancer, for which there are currently very few treatments available.

“We will research a new drug combination therapy which aims to specifically target aggressive prostate tumours to control their growth and, most importantly, reduce the number of tumours which form in other areas of the body,” she said.

“Ultimately we hope that this Prostate Cancer UK grant will help us create an optimal treatment schedule which significantly reduces the pain and other debilitating side effects men experience, as well as significantly improve life expectancy.”

Dr Iain Frame, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “By funding ground breaking projects such as this with the UK’s top research scientists we hope to be able to find the answers we so desperately need for the future.”