Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Prostate Cancer Disparities

The purpose of this study is to further elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying prostate cancer disparities. In previous work the investigators have identified a set of differentially deregulated genes in African American versus Caucasian American prostate cancer. Based on these findings, they hypothesize that they will be able to validate these targets, originally identified in the previous work conducted at The George Washington University Medical Center, in an independent Duke University Medical Center cohort of prostate cancer specimens. In addition, the investigators hypothesize that they will be able to discover novel targets in the Duke University Medical Center cohort of prostate cancer specimens because of regional differences.

Individual patient African American and Caucasian American prostate biopsy cores or surgical specimens will be obtained from the following procedures: transrectal ultrasound biopsy of the prostate (TRUSBxP), MR fusion biopsy, intra-operatively (IO) at the time of prostatectomy. Using cellular DNA and RNA, isolated from prostate cancer and patient-matched normal prostate biopsy cores or surgical specimens, the investigators will perform ancestral genotyping, exon arrays, targeted RNA sequencing, and epigenetic analyses. As controls, blood will also be collected. Genomic data from blood and tumor tissue will be compared.