Research questions
Are there differences in the expression of immune-related genes between White and Black men with prostate cancer?
Objectives
Primary objective:
1. Compare the expression of immune-related genes between White and Black participants diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Secondary objectives:
2. To assess whether the expression of immune-related genes differs across all ethnic groups among men diagnosed with prostate cancer.
3. To identify immune-related genes that show the greatest variation in expression across ethnic groups within men diagnosed with prostate cancer.
4. To explore how ethnic differences in immune-related gene expression relate to demographic, clinical, or tumour characteristics among men with prostate cancer.
Scientific rationale
Prostate cancer shows marked differences in incidence and outcomes across ethnic groups. Immune-related genes play a key role in tumour-immune interactions and may influence tumour behaviour, disease progression, and treatment response. Differences in the expression of these genes, including SIGLECs, could therefore contribute to ethnic variation in prostate cancer incidence and outcomes.
By comparing immune-related gene expression between White and Black men, and across all available ethnic groups, this study aims to identify genes showing substantial variation and to explore how these differences relate to demographic, clinical and tumour characteristics, helping to inform future research into ethnic disparities in prostate cancer.