|
Public description: ICPCG is a group of researchers from across the globe who are working together to learn why prostate cancer is inherited in some families. By working together, we are much more likely to be successful than if we each work on our own. Scientific description: The ICPCG is a working group of investigators, consisting of ~11 independent groups from over 20 institutions from North America, Europe and Australia, who share a common interest in genetic susceptibility for prostate cancer, and all of whom have major ongoing, individual research efforts in this area. The consortium was formed in late 1996. Our meetings have focused primarily on research updates from the participants and exploration of possible collaborative analyses. This group has managed to perform and co-author an analysis of linkage data for the HPC1 locus in 772 families. We have recently received grant funds from the NCI to support additional combined activities. Linkage analysis of cancer-prone families has proven to be a highly successful approach for the identification of high penetrance susceptibility genes for common human cancers. To date, linkage studies of prostate cancer have yielded multiple loci, and evidence of extensive heterogeneity but, unfortunately, despite multiple ongoing efforts, few cloned genes. It is now apparent that resources beyond those available to any single institution will most likely be required to obtain the power necessary to map and identify prostate cancer susceptibility genes. The International Consortium for Prostate Cancer Genetics (ICPCG) was formed to address this need. Over 7800 DNA samples, including 4200 from affected individuals, have been already collected from over 1700 multiplex prostate cancer families by the member groups of the ICPCG. This collection is likely the most powerful resource available to address the genetic mechanisms underlying inherited susceptibility for prostate cancer. Overall, we plan to perform systematic analyses to identify, evaluate and characterize prostate cancer susceptibility loci. The organization of the ICPCG has been designed to efficiently carry out our goals. Its structure consists of three committees, overseen by a Steering Committee. The three committees are the Analysis, Molecular, and Clinical Committees. A data coordinating center (DCC) will be established for the deposition, organization, analysis and dissemination of data for the combined analyses. Please contact our administrator, Mary Buedel, if you have any questions about ICPCG. |