James D. Brooks

Clinical Focus

• Cancer > Urologic Oncology
• Male Cancers - Prostate
• Prostate Cancer
• Nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy
• Prostate Cancer - Urologic Oncology

Administrative Appointments

• Editor-in-Chief, The Open Prostate Cancer Journal (2008 - present)
• Editorial Board, The Prostate (2000 - present)
• Membership Committee, Society for Basic Urologic Research (2004 - present)

Honors and Awards

• Dornier Research Scholar, American Foundation for Urologic Disease (1995-1997)
• Clinician Scientist Award, Doris Duke Foundation (1998-2002)
• Eugene P. Schonfeld Medical Research Award, Kidney Cancer Association (2000-2002)
• Leutje-Stubbs Faculty Scholar, Stanford University School of Medicine (2002-2003)

Professional Education

Postdoctoral Advisees

Zulfiqar Gulzar

Graduate & Fellowship Program Affiliations

• Cancer Biology
• Urology

Research Interests

We have identified a genetic change common to all human prostate cancer - loss of expression of glutathione S-transferase-pi (GSTP1). Loss of expression is associated with extensive hypermethylation of deoxycytidine residues in 5'-regulatory sequences. Since GSTP1 is involved in defense against carcinogens, we are exploring induction of other carcinogen defense enzymes as a potential prostate cancer prevention strategy. Recently, we have identified several candidate phase 2 enzyme inducing agents that are effective in the prostate. We have used comprehensive gene expression profiling (DNA microarrays) to identify the mechanisms of action of some of these agents, and of other candidate prostate cancer preventive compounds. We have also used gene expression profiling to investigate the transciptional and DNA copy-number changes that occur in prostate and kidney cancer. We are using these large datasets to identify novel diagnostic and prognostic markers for these diseases. We have ongoing projects that correlate gene expression changes with the clinical features of the cancers.

Clinical Trials

• Microarray Analysis of Gene Expression in Prostate Tissues Recruiting
• Prostate Active Surveillance Study (PASS) Recruiting
• Quality of Life Following Radical Prostatectomy Recruiting
• Hypofractionated Radiotherapy for Localized Prostate Cancer (with CyberKnife or with IMRT) Completed

Publications

• Prognostic significance of prostate cancer originating from the transition zone. King CR, Ferrari M, Brooks JD. Urol Oncol. 2009 Nov-Dec; 27 (6): 592-7
• Apolipoprotein D (APOD) is a putative biomarker of androgen receptor function in androgen insensitivity syndrome. Appari M, Werner R, Wünsch L, Cario G, Demeter J, Hiort O, Riepe F, Brooks JD, Holterhus PM. J Mol Med. 2009; 87 (6): 623-32
• Temporal changes in gene expression induced by sulforaphane in human prostate cancer cells. Bhamre S, Sahoo D, Tibshirani R, Dill DL, Brooks JD. Prostate. 2009; 69 (2): 181-90
• CD 9 and vimentin distinguish clear cell from chromophobe renal cell carcinoma. Williams AA, Higgins JP, Zhao H, Ljunberg B, Brooks JD. BMC Clin Pathol. 2009; 9 (1): 9
• Alteration of gene expression signatures of cortical differentiation and wound response in lethal clear cell renal cell carcinomas. Zhao H, Zongming Ma, Tibshirani R, Higgins JP, Ljungberg B, Brooks JD. PLoS One. 2009; 4 (6): e6039