Meet the Investigator: Dr. Christopher Evans

The kinase Src has been shown to play an important role in the initiation and progression of prostate cancer.  PCF-funded investigator, Dr. Christopher Evans is currently studying whether the Src pathway is also critical to the survival and growth of prostate cancer cells and whether its overexpression results in the progression of hormone-therapy resistance in metastatic disease.

In many ways Christopher P. Evans, MD was destined to conduct scientific investigations.  Raised by parents who were both Yale University-trained scientists, he had ingrained in him at an early age a profound curiosity for science.  His curiosity would grow during college - motivating him to work in a laboratory while also in medical school on through completion of residency.

“I’ve always been interested in the biology of cancer to help improve upon available therapies,” said Dr. Evans, a PCF Competitive Award recipient.  “The thing that motivates my patients is hope.  Being able to share with them research advancements from a practical and clinical standpoint helps stimulate that hope.”

Currently, Dr. Evans and his research group at the University of California, Davis are focused on prostate cancer cell growth factors that are signaled through a specific cancer pathway termed Src kinase.  While therapies that target androgen withdrawal (namely testosterone) have been shown to control prostate cancer, cancerous tumors can still begin to grow in the absence of androgen. By targeting the Src pathway, Dr. Evans hopes to uncover inhibitors that will halt the growth and metastases of these androgen-independent tumors.

In addition to prostate cancer, Src kinases has been shown to be overexpressed in other malignancies including lung, breast, colon, melanoma, pancreatic, and gastric cancers.

Kinases and Prostate Cancer
Kinases are a family of enzymes that play an important role in regulating most cellular functions including: DNA damage repair, cell metabolism, growth, movement and death.  They become active during a biochemical process called phosphorylation.  Similar to a switchboard that turns on and off certain signals, phosphorylation occurs when kinases move phosphate groups on or off proteins.

If deregulation happens during this process, the analogous switchboard’s signals are left placed in the ‘on’ position, leading to the proliferation of cancer cell growth. Research done by Dr. Evans on the Src family of kinases has shown their activity to be greatly elevated in prostate cancer tumors.

“We’ve delineated this pathway in prostate cancer involving Src kinase to be overexpressed in over a third of androgen-independent prostate cancer patients,” said Dr. Evans. “There is currently an international phase II clinical trial analyzing this overexpression of Src [kinase] for both breast and prostate cancer patients with bone metastases.  This data is not yet published, but will be later this year.”

A Bench-to-Bedside Approach
Due to the current trend of single-discipline training for urologists, Dr. Evans is among an increasingly “extinct breed” of investigators in today’s field of urologic oncology.  As a surgeon-scientist who has both a scientific and medical background, Dr. Evans brings a unique set of skills that allow him to strategically link a surgical practice to investigations done in a laboratory setting. His direct contact with prostate cancer patients also allows Dr. Evans to internally ask himself, then others, relevant questions that can inspire and drive innovative research.

“The goal of every urologist should be to take their research observations into the clinic,” said Dr. Evans. “By having both laboratory and clinical experience, I’m hopefully able to give patients a lay interpretation of molecular events and research advancements in prostate cancer.”

Being on the short list of urologists who are in effect pulling double duty, Dr. Evans’ time is at a premium as he juggles a scientific career with a busy surgical practice.  And according to the doctor, the additional amount of time required for writing papers to secure funding grants puts him at a real disadvantage obtaining financial support for research.

“I am at a disadvantage getting funds compared to the full-time scientist,” Dr. Evans concedes. “My dual training does, however, put me at a knowledge advantage from a translational standpoint.  That’s why receiving funding from organizations such as the PCF is so critical.”

In addition to Dr. Evans’ investigations in the area of intracrine androgens and androgen receptor signaling, the PCF looks to continue funding research in the areas of progression biomarkers, ETS gene fusions, predictive preclinical models, nutrition, metabolism and patient quality of life, epigenetics, immunotherapy, and prostate cancer stem cells.

Meet the other prostate cancer investigators PCF has profiled.