Prostate cancer is the second deadliest cancer in men worldwide. Elevated blood levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA) are still used for diagnosis and follow-up. However, clinical decisions based on PSA levels often lead to unnecessary biopsies and overtreatment. Researchers are therefore looking for more specific tests that can reduce the number of false positives and can select only those patients that would benefit from intense treatment regimens.

We believe that huge progress for the patient can be made when focusing on exosomes* and their RNA cargo. Exosomes are very small vesicles secreted by all human body cells. They are full of cell material, including various classes of RNA, and can end up in the blood stream. When first discovered, exosomes were considered as a cell's way to get rid of its waste molecules. However, research in the past decade showed that exosomes contain a very specific cargo that cells use to communicate with each other. More recently, exosomes were shown to have diverse roles in cancer development, maintenance and metastasis. In this research project we will investigate exosomes that are circulating in the blood of prostate cancer patients.

More specifically, we will investigate if exosomes in the blood of prostate cancer patients contain RNA molecules coming from the prostate tumor cells. In this way, we aim to develop simple blood tests to diagnose and follow up prostate cancer in a better and minimally invasive way. In addition, we will evaluate whether exosomal RNAs are different between indolent and aggressive disease and if they would be able to discriminate between patients that would and would not benefit from intense treatment.

In conclusion, our research proposal is situated at the intersection of three fast-moving and highly intriguing research worlds: the exosome world, the cancer world and the (non-coding) RNA world. We are excited to use the new insights in these research fields to improve patient care.