An innovative new research project aimed at improving the
diagnosis of prostate cancer is taking place at the Aberystwyth
University.
Funded by The Prostate Cancer Charity, it is hoped that if
successful, this study will help doctors to more clearly see the
size and location of a man's prostate cancer in order to make
better decisions about the right treatment to use.
Current methods of visualising prostate cancer at diagnosis can
sometimes give an unclear picture of exactly how far the disease
has spread. Lead researcher Professor Reyer Zwiggelaar received
£60,100 to supervise a PhD project to investigate the novel idea of
combining magnetic resonance (MRI) and ultrasound results to give a
more detailed initial map of where prostate cancer is present in
the body.
Professor Zwiggelaar, Department of Computer Science,
Aberystwyth University, explains "Making decisions following a
diagnosis of prostate cancer is a very stressful time for many men,
and this is made worse by the uncertainty around current methods
for diagnosis. By investigating the benefits of combining
ultrasound and MRI, we plan to develop a method which enables us to
build a more accurate view of individual prostate tumours than we
do currently. We hope that improvements to the accuracy of
diagnosis will allow for more confidence in deciding which
treatments to use, and hopefully increase the success of these
treatments."
This grant has been awarded to Professor Zwiggelaar and
Aberystwyth University, as part of The Prostate Cancer Charity's
ongoing program of investment in research to help tackle the
disease. This year, the Charity has awarded over £2 million - its
biggest research investment to date - to institutions across the UK
designed to improve diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.
Dr Kate Holmes, Research Manager at The Prostate Cancer Charity
said: "One of the biggest challenges in prostate cancer research is
actually being able to accurately diagnose the disease. We chose to
fund this groundbreaking project as we believe it will give doctors
the answers they need in order to more accurately diagnose and
treat the tumour and help provide real benefit to men in the early
stages of their disease. We are looking forward to working closely
with the team and eagerly await the results of the study."