Since 2015, Dr. Toren has worked as a clinician-scientist in the Department of Surgery at Laval University, where his laboratory focuses on translational prostate cancer research. He completed his medical training at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, urology residency and a clinical uro-oncology fellowship at the University of Toronto. Subsequently, he completed a two-year research fellowship at the Vancouver Prostate Centre, under the mentorship of Dr. Martin Gleave. Concurrently, he enrolled in, and recently completed a doctorate in experimental medicine in Dr. Amina Zoubeidi’s laboratory.

The influence of sex steroids on the tumor environment

Androgens and estrogens are important to prostate cancer progression and treatment resistance. Through the analysis of various sex steroids such as testosterone and estrogens, we seek to better understand the hormonal changes which occur following treatment in prostate cancer patients. Further, we seek to understand how differences in these levels between patients may be used to classify them for optimal treatments and understand resistance patterns. We use laboratory models to understand the effect of sex steroids on the local immune environment and production of cytokines regulating the survival and growth of prostate cancer.

Extracellular vesicles as biomarkers

Extracellular vesicles, such as exosomes, are tiny parts of cells which may be detected in many biological fluids, including urine and blood. Using samples from prostate cancer patients, we seek to optimize isolation, enumeration, and characterization techniques. Versatile and containing a significant amount of information pertinent to cancer type and function, these tiny particles may eventually be used to monitor information about responsiveness to treatments through a simple blood test.

Hôpital de l'Enfant-Jésus
1401, 18e rue
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Québec, QC
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+1 418-525-4444, extension 67694
+1 418-691-3154
Paul.Toren@crchudequebec....

Latest news

68 entries « ‹ 1 of 7 › »

Toren P, Wilkins A, Patel K, Burley A, Gris T, Kockelbergh R, Lodhi T, Choudhury A, Bryan RT

The sex gap in bladder cancer survival - a missing link in bladder cancer care

Journal Article

Nat Rev Urol, 2023.

Abstract | Links:

Molina OE, LaRue H, Simonyan D, Hovington H, Têtu B, Fradet V, Lacombe L, Toren P, Bergeron A, Fradet Y

High infiltration of CD209+ dendritic cells and CD163+ macrophages in the peritumor area of prostate cancer is predictive of late adverse outcomes

Journal Article

Front Immunol, 14 , 2023.

Abstract | Links:

Moussa H, Robitaille K, Pelletier JF, Tourigny R, Fradet Y, Lacombe L, Toren P, Lodde M, Tiguert R, Dujardin T, Caumartin Y, Duchesne T, Julien P, Savard J, Diorio C, Fradet V

Effects of Concentrated Long-Chain Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplementation on Quality of Life after Radical Prostatectomy: A Phase II Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial (RCT-EPA)

Journal Article

Nutrients, 15 (6), 2023.

Abstract | Links:

Lelong EIJ, Khelifi G, Adjibade P, Joncas FH, Grenier St-Sauveur V, Paquette V, Gris T, Zoubeidi A, Audet-Walsh E, Lambert JP, Toren P, Mazroui R, Hussein SMI

Prostate cancer resistance leads to a global deregulation of translation factors and unconventional translation

Journal Article

NAR Cancer, 4 (4), 2022.

Abstract | Links:

Fadel J, Simonyan D, Fradet V, Lodde M, Lacombe L, Fradet Y, Toren P

Analysis of sex-based differences to Bacillus Calmette-Guérin for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer

Journal Article

Urol Oncol, 40 (12), 2022.

Abstract | Links:

Besançon M, Gris T, Joncas FH, Picard V, Bergeron A, Fradet Y, Toren P

Combining Antiandrogens with Immunotherapy for Bladder Cancer Treatment

Journal Article

Eur Urol Open Sci, 43 , 2022.

Abstract | Links:

Rouleau M, Neveu B, Caron P, Morin F, Toren P, Lacombe L, Turcotte V, Lévesque É, Guillemette C, Pouliot F

Extensive Alteration of Androgen Precursor Levels After Castration in Prostate Cancer Patients and Their Association With Active Androgen Level

Journal Article

J Urol, 208 (6), 2022.

Abstract | Links:

Charbonneau G, Hudon C, Lavallée LT, Kassouf W, Gaboury I, Toren P, Couture F, Foley V, Tétu A, Richard PO

Patients' perceptions on active surveillance for the treatment of small renal masses

Journal Article

Urol Oncol, 40 (11), 2022.

Abstract | Links:

Turcotte B, Bélanger L, Blais AS, Blouin AC, Bolduc S, Bolduc-Mokhtar A, Bureau M, Caumartin Y, Cloutier J, Deschênes-Rompré MP, Dujardin T, Fradet Y, Gaudreau N, Lacombe L, Moore K, Morin F, Nadeau G, Paquet S, Simard F, Simonyan D, Soucy F, Tiguert R, Toren P, Lodde M, Pouliot F

Perception and satisfaction of patients after telemedicine urology consultations: A matched analysis with physicians' perspective

Journal Article

Can Urol Assoc J, 16 (10), 2022.

Abstract | Links:

Berrehail Z, Boibessot C, Gris T, Joncas FH, Gaignier F, Guillemette C, Lacombe L, Fradet Y, Toren P

Sex steroid modulation of macrophages within the prostate tumor microenvironment

Journal Article

Am J Clin Exp Urol, 10 (2), 2022.

Abstract | Links:

68 entries « ‹ 1 of 7 › »
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Active projects

  • Exploiter les interactions endocriniennes-immunes pour améliorer le traitement des cancers urologiques, from 2022-07-01 to 2024-06-30
  • Repurposing bicalutamide to improve the response to immune checkpoint inhibition for treatment of advanced urothelial carcinoma, from 2022-08-01 to 2026-07-31
  • Targeting sex steroids to improve the response to bladder cancer immunotherapy, from 2021-10-01 to 2026-09-30

Recently finished projects

  • A study of macrophages as predictors of prostate cancer radiotherapy response , from 2022-01-26 to 2023-01-25
  • Caractérisation des tumeurs urothéliales en utilisant les cultures ex vivo, from 2019-04-30 to 2022-01-10
  • Development of next-generation biomarkers for prostate cancer treatment, from 2019-07-01 to 2021-12-31
Data provided by the Université Laval research projects registery