Screening for prostate cancer with Dr Hayley Whitaker – 105science

Dr Hayley Whitaker is a Cancer Research UK scientist who specialises in prostate cancer. We hear about her quest for better screening for the disease. Dr Whitaker is lead author of a study about how a particular protein helps identify if a prostate cancer patient needs more intense treatment. The protein is called NAALADL2 and is linked to the spread of prostate cancer tumour cells to surrounding healthy tissues. Every year 41,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK. Dr Whitaker hopes that a test for the protein may spare patients unnecessary treatment.

To learn more about research at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute click here. To read Dr Whitaker’s research article in Oncogene click here

Followed by Science What’s On in January 2014