Molecular Mechanisms of Heavy Metal-Induced Urothelial Carcinogenesis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Molecular Mechanisms of Heavy Metal-Induced Urothelial Carcinogenesis
IRAS ID
146568
Contact name
Jennifer Southgate
Contact email
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Y003 PhD, YCR PhD Studentship; YCR S310, YCR Main Grant
Research summary
Over recent years there has been an accumulation of evidence suggesting that occupational and/or environmental exposure to ‘heavy metals’ (very dense metals) is linked to the development of a number of different types of cancer, including bladder cancer. Bladder cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United Kingdom, and statistics indicate that Yorkshire has a higher incidence of the disease than the rest of the U.K. It is thought that this may be historically linked to the amount and type of industry in the area. Clinicians have noticed an emerging shift in the types of bladder cancer they diagnose in Yorkshire, with more invasive, aggressive bladder cancers being observed than before. This includes cancers that arise via a particular precancerous lesion called ‘carcinoma in situ’ (CIS), which can be hard to detect or treat in an early form and is more likely to progress into life-threatening muscle-invasive disease than a superficial tumour. Our hypothesis is that exposure to heavy metals may play a role in the development of CIS, leading to an increased rate of development of the invasive forms of bladder cancer. To investigate this we have developed experimental techniques that allow us to grow and study human urothelium (the lining of the bladder that gives rise to cancer) in the laboratory, using cells that are isolated from donated surgical samples. In order to further our research we would like to obtain normal, CIS and tumour tissue from patients undergoing clinical examinations so that we may gain a better understanding of how bladder cancer develops. Therefore the main purpose of this application is to collect surgical specimens from patients who are undergoing elective urological procedures, and who have given their informed consent for tissue biopsies not required for diagnostic purposes to be used for research.
REC name
London - Chelsea Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/1371
Date of REC Opinion
2 Sep 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion