The American Cancer Society estimates that in the year 2008, prostate cancer will be diagnosed in 186,320 men and 28,660 will die from the disease. Bladder cancer will be diagnosed in 51,230 men and 17,580 women and 14,100 will die from the disease.

Prostate cancer research is under funded compared to other serious conditions but in spite of that, there has been tremendous progress in the last ten years in both the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

With the help of research, we hope to transform aggressive and sometimes deadly prostate cancers into chronic diseases that minimally impact lives.

Clinical Trials

Greater participation in clinical trials by cancer patients will speed up the search for new and more effective treatments for cancer. Finding enough patients to conduct a clinical trial is sometimes a problem as nationally, only about 4 or 5 percent of cancer patients take part in clinical trials. Greater participation, especially by older patients and minority groups, would more accurately reflect the broader population of men with prostate cancer.

Clinical Trials are essential to prostate cancer to increase our knowledge about cancer and develop more-effective, less-toxic cancer treatments. Without clinical trials, new drugs and treatments could not be approved. No matter how promising a new treatment looks when tested with lab animals, it cannot be used to treat people until it has been carefully evaluated through the several phases of a clinical trial.
Blood and Tissue

Blood, tissue and other bodily fluids are valuable research tools used to learn more about the biology of prostate cancer, prostate cancer recurrence and response to treatments. With your consent, specimens would be collected at the time of your regularly scheduled lab work, or during regular treatment procedures. These specimens will be stored in a Tissue Bank and information on your blood, tissue and medical history stored in a database.

The information may be shared with other researchers to compare, contrast and analyze similarities and differences. Although you will not benefit directly from taking part in this study, your specimens will contribute to the understanding and treatment of the disease.

Financial Support

Researchers at the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have changed the face of prostate cancer through tests, treatments and procedures that they have pioneered.

They are ready to go further, but funds are needed. Promising young scientists need funding for fellowships and funding is needed to support the work of current research scientists and clinical investigators, and to provide matching grants for federal and private research funding.

Donation Instructions

To donate directly to Prostate Cancer Research, mail your gift to:

Oncology Research Fund
c/o Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
Dr. Celestia Higano
825 Eastlake Ave E
PO Box 19023
MS G4-830
Seattle , WA 98109-1023

To donate securely online using Visa/MasterCard, follow the link below to the University of Washington UW Support website.

Enter keywords: ONCOLOGY RESEARCH FUND to direct your donation to Dr. Higano's research.

https://secure.gifts.washington.edu/support_uw/gift.asp?page=search&processform1=1

You can also donate by phone by calling the UW Program Coordinator Gifts at (206) 543-6347 and direct your gift to the Oncology Research Fund.

All gifts are tax-deductible