Alberta Prostate Cancer Research Initiative (APCaRI) Information

APCaRI brings together a multi-disciplinary team of over 200 prostate cancer scientists, physicians, trainees, patients, and healthcare employees from five Alberta research institutions, and an international collaborative network. Our goal is to positively impact the outcomes and quality of life of those living with prostate cancer by accelerating the translation of new research ideas from the laboratory to the clinic. Prostate cancer is a significant health problem that is intensifying as our population ages. Representing 36% of newly diagnosed cancers in men each year and almost 10% of all cancer related deaths in men, the clinical management of prostate cancer places a considerable burden on our healthcare system and the patients who are diagnosed with this disease. Many prostate cancers are diagnosed at an early stage in Alberta, yet our limited diagnostic tools prevent us from answering these clinical questions: Which prostate cancers require treatment? Which treatment will have the greatest impact? Not being able to definitively answer these questions lead to uncertainty for patients and physicians and has a negative impact on the quality of life of patients living with prostate cancer. Prostate cancer research during the past decade has brought many exciting new discoveries, yet few of these have made their way into the clinic for the benefit of patients. In particular, the development of biomarkers to diagnose and predict the outcome of prostate cancer at the time of screening remains the greatest unmet clinical need in prostate cancer. There has never been a more opportune time to achieve our translational research goals and make a meaningful impact on health policy and the outcomes of patients living with prostate cancer.