According to the World Health Organization, prostate cancer is the third most common cancer among Filipino men, with almost 10,000 cases diagnosed in 2022. In severe cases, it can develop into an aggressive type called castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), which can further progress into neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), the most fatal form.
A pioneering study by Romie Angelo Azur, Kevin Christian Olarte, Weand Ybañez, Alessandria Maeve Ocampo, and Dr. Pia Bagamasbad from the UP Diliman College of Science identified a key protein, CYB561, that contributes to this progression. They found that CYB561 activates specific growth factors and manages iron levels, helping cancer cells thrive even without male hormones.
Their findings, published in PLOS One, suggest that targeting CYB561 could lead to new treatments for CRPC and NEPC. The team hopes to experiment further on animal models and primary tumor samples to develop therapies that inhibit CYB561’s activity, potentially slowing or stopping cancer progression.
