Programs We Fund

Prostate Cancer Canada’s (PCC) vision is to become the global leader in the fight against prostate cancer. Along with its greater Prostate Cancer Canada Network, which provides prostate cancer support resources for men and their families, PCC is working towards its goal of reaching out to a wider audience and providing enhanced support resources to ultimately eliminate Prostate Cancer.

Funds from Movember have helped enable PCC to begin the development of a national research strategy, accelerate the world’s most promising research and enable game changing projects that will lead to improved patient care and treatments. Additionally, Movember funds have enabled PCC to start a comprehensive survivor support program that includes the current Prostate Cancer support groups nationwide.

“We are extremely grateful to all the Canadians from coast to coast who participate in Movember. Acknowledging the importance of raising funds and awareness for prostate cancer – a disease that afflicts 1 in 7 Canadian men - is changing the way we talk about, treat, test and survive prostate cancer.” - Steve Jones, CEO, Prostate Cancer Canada

For more information on the research PCC is funding and support networks available please visit www.prostatecancer.ca.

Prostate Cancer Canada
2 Lombard Street, 3rd Floor
Toronto, Ontario M5C 1M1
416.441.2131
888.255.0333 (Toll Free)



Examples of Movember Funded Programs

Program 1: Canadian Prostate Cancer Genome Project (CPC GENE)
This ground breaking project is mapping out the genes that lead to prostate cancer in general and also those that lead to aggressive forms of prostate cancer. As a part of the larger International Cancer Genome Consortium, Canada is leading the charge with CPC GENE and is developing a national and international group of scientists to facilitate the project.

Made possible with funds from Movember, this project is being driven by Dr. Rob Bristow, Senior Scientist at the Ontario Cancer Institute, the research arm of the University Health Network’s Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH). This is an internationally collaborative project with researchers based in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Kingston and Montreal all working with those in the United Kingdom, France and Germany to produce results throughout this five year project.



The aim of this research is to be able to develop gene-based diagnoses to help physicians in determining which patients require more intensive therapies and which patients would benefit from careful monitoring, a process called “active surveillance”. An expected secondary result is that some of the cancer mutations detected by CPC GENE will fuel the development of new cancer medications. This will be an incredible development as being able to personalize treatments will dramatically improve the quality of life for men living with or being treated for Prostate Cancer.



Program 2: Clinician Scientist Awards
Each year a portion of funds raised during Movember are directed to Prostate Cancer Canada's Clinician Scientist Awards. These awards provide funding for scientists who work to translate research knowledge into improved patient care and health.



One of the most recent recipients of a Clinician Scientist Award is Dr. Vincent Fradet. Dr. Fradet is investigating the effect of combining drug and dietary elements on the progression and prevention of prostate cancer.

The study aims to develop a model for examining the effect of drug and diet interventions on low-risk prostate cancer patients. A better understanding of the biological mechanisms of drug and dietary interventions on early stage disease will enable the development of more personalized prevention and less invasive treatment.



Program 3: Prostate Health Clinic at the new Edmonton Clinic
In 2010 a portion of the funds raised from Movember went to support the development of the specialized Prostate Health Clinic at the new Edmonton Clinic. There have been significant advances at the Edmonton Clinic including the purchase of two, state-of-the-art robotic surgery systems for use at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and the University of Alberta Hospital. The final phase will complete the development of the world-class, rapid access Prostate Health Clinic, offering specialized diagnostic and treatment services to men from western and northern Canada that are affected by prostate conditions. This clinic will also support coordinated, province-wide research initiatives through the Cross Cancer Institute.



Program 4: Pilot Grant Program
PCC’s Pilot Grant Program is an innovative program that awards funding to high-potential pilot studies that could significantly advance the field of prostate cancer research. These grants supply researchers with support and operating expenses for novel and groundbreaking research.

The Pilot Grant Program is specifically designed to complement traditional sources of funding. Physicians, researchers and scientists from all across Canada, many of whom are first-time grantees, are often the recipients of these grants. These projects are typically early stage and as such the grant is the only source of funding.

For more information about the Pilot Grant Program please visit www.prostatecancer.ca.



Program 5: Research Putting Stress on Cancer
Dr. Anthony Joshua is a researcher focused on understanding the survival mechanisms of prostate cancer. The current mechanism he is working on is called autophagy. This is a mechanism which prostate cancer cells use in a stressed environment which allows them to eat each other to multiply and survive. With his research Dr. Joshua hopes to develop drugs that block this mechanism and therefore kill the prostate cancer cells without any side effect.