HMN 2026: How Study links dozens of blood proteins to prostate cancer risk across populations

A large-scale study has identified dozens of blood proteins linked to prostate cancer risk, some shared across populations, some unique to specific groups.

Published in Nature Communications, the study seeks to improve understanding of the various causes of prostate cancer across different populations. The study was led by Dr. Lang Wu, Associate Director of Population Science—LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center, highlighting Louisiana’s growing role as a national leader in cutting-edge cancer research.

“This study shows how population-specific biology shapes prostate cancer risk,” said Dr. Wu, who is also a Professor and Co-Director of the Population Sciences and Cancer Control Program. “By including different major populations, we’re taking a big step toward understanding why some men, including many right here in Louisiana, face higher risk of developing this common malignancy.”

Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in men worldwide and one of the leading causes of cancer death. Men of African ancestry, including many in Louisiana, face higher risks and worse outcomes, making comprehensive research to understand the causes of the different burden across populations particularly critical.

This new study analyzed thousands of proteins in blood across African, European, Asian, and Hispanic/Latino populations, developed mathematical models to predict protein levels using genetic information, and further linked genetically regulated protein levels to prostate cancer risk, by leveraging data from 156,319 men who had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and 788,443 men who had not.

In total, researchers identified 3, 4, 15, and 73 prostate cancer-associated proteins in African, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, and European populations, respectively, and 83 across populations. Many of the identified proteins are novel.

“Our research design is very cost-efficient and powerful in identifying candidate proteins for prostate cancer risk,” said Hua Zhong, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow of Dr. Wu’s group, who is one of the two first authors of the paper.

“By applying advanced statistical genetics and data science approaches, our novel discovery of prostate cancer proteins will help us to identify individuals at risk of developing this malignancy,” said Jingjing Zhu, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor and Director of Bioinformatics Core at LSU, who is the other joint first author of the paper.

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