Genitourinary malignancies are fatal tumours involving the bladder, prostate, and testicles. The high mortality rate from genitourinary malignancies is attributed to the lack of disease-specific diagnostic and prognostic methods. In clinical practice, genitourinary malignancies are usually diagnosed based on serum markers (PSA, AFP, LDH, and βHCG) and CT or MRI, which have insufficient sensitivity and specificity. Bladder cancer alone accounts for more than 550,000 new cases and more than 200,000 deaths worldwide each year. Testicular cancer, although rarer, has recently been increasing in incidence, especially among younger men. One of the treatment options for genitourinary malignancies is adjuvant chemotherapy, which has significantly improved survival rates, especially in patients with testicular cancer, achieving five-year survival rates exceeding 90%. Nevertheless, the variability of patient response to treatment and the risk of long-term side effects indicates a lack of potential biomarkers to predict treatment efficacy. The study aims to search for potential molecular biomarkers that determine the response to adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with urogenital cancer. By analysing blood, urine, and tumour tissue samples, the study will focus on gene expression and epigenetic changes that could contribute to developing personalized and more effective treatment strategies for urogenital cancer.
Mokslinis vadovas / Supervisor: dr. Rasa Sabaliauskaitė
Kontaktai / Contacts:
tel. / phone: (8 5) 219 0924
Programme: Biology N 010