Faculty

Gabriel P Haas, M.D. Professor of Clinical Campus - Urology 233 Computer Warehouse Building Upstate Medical University 750 East Adams Street Syracuse, NY 13210

Education and Clinical Training

Clinical Specialty

Clinical Interests

Research Program and Department Affiliations

Research Interests

Research Abstract

Epidemiology of prostate cancer

Despite the fact that prostate cancer is the most prevalent malignancy in men, little is known about the etiology of this malignancy. Clinical and laboratory studies are ongoing in order to identify genetic and environmental factors that may be related to this disease.

References:

Kinoshita, Y., Singh, A., Rovito, P.M. Jr., Wang, C.Y. and Haas, G.P. Double primary cancers of the prostate and bladder: A literature review. Clin Prostate Cancer 3:83-86, 2004.

Singh, A., Kinoshita, Y.. Rovito, P.M., Jr., Landas, S., Silberstein, J., Nsouli, I., Wang, C.Y..and Haas, G.P. Higher than expected association of clinical prostate and bladder cancers. J Urol, 173:1526-9, 2005.

Rovito, P.M, Jr., Morse, P.D., Spinek, K., Newman, N., Jones, R.F., Wang, C.Y., and Gabriel P. Haas. Heterocyclic Amines and Genotype of N-acetyltransferases as Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer. Prostate Cancer & Prostatic Diseases. 8:69-74, 2005.

Detection of occult prostate cancers in elderly men

The prevalence of occult prostate cancer increases with the increase in age. The cancer is present in American men as young as early their 20’s,and the prevalence increases with each decade to 65 to 70% of 60-60 years old, regardless of race. Low grade tumors of less than 0.5 cc are generally considered to be biologically unimportant and most such tumors do not progress to clinical significance. Increasingly sensitive PSA tests and more biopsies will lead to the diagnosis of many clinically insignificant cancers that should not be treated. In the absence of benefit, the aging population will incur only the morbidity of the diagnosis and unnecessary treatment. The objective of this study is to delineate the relationship between sensitive PSA tests, extensive biopsies and the detection of occult cancers.

Reference:

Jones, R.F.. Sunheimer, R., Friedman, H., Miller, D., Ginsburg, R., Jumbelic, M., Threatte, G., and Haas, G.P. Comparison of ante- and post-mortem PSA levels for epidemiological studies. Anticancer Reh. 25:1263-7, 2005.

Immunologic Mechanism of the Effect of Radiation on Murine Immunotherapy. With R. Jones

Renal cell cancer is a common malignancy with a poor response to multiple therapeutic modalities. Immunotherapy is the most promising of the various treatment approaches tried for this cancer. Interleukin-2 (IL-2) has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of metastatic kidney cancer. Due to the toxicity of IL-2 regimens, only highly selected patients are candidates for the treatment, and the response is limited (15-30%). There is a need for regimens that are more effective and less toxic.

Using a mouse renal carcinoma model, we have demonstrated that the renal cancer cells (Renca) lack immunogenicity. An antitumor response can be augmented by implantation into the mouse with Renca cells that have been irradiated, or by irradiation of Renca tumors in the mouse, and this antitumor response is potentiated by systemic IL-2 treatment. Treatment with radiation or IL-2 alone can only elicit a limited response. We have also shown that radiation enhances the expression of MHC-1, and induces P53 protein and apoptosis. Together, these results suggest that Renca cells may not express sufficient MHC-1, or lack the expression of B7 costimulator preventing direct activation of T-cells.

We now hypothesize that 1) irradiated Renca cells may present themselves as antigen-presenting cells, and they may also indirectly activate T-cells through specialized antigen-presenting cells, and 2) the antitumor response produced by irradiated tumor cells may be potentiated by combination treatment of IL-2 and GM-CSF. We will prepare Renca cells that express IL-2 and GM-CSF and then compare between irradiated and non-irradiated cells for antigen presentation, and induction of cytotoxic lymphocytes and antitumor activity.

This profile was last updated on 08/08/2005

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