Ground-breaking research carried out at the University of East Anglia could help scientists better understand the most common form of cancer in men.

Researchers at the UEA have conducted a study into prostate cancer, the most prolific form of the condition in males - killing one man on an average of every 45 minutes nationally.

The study has revealed new information about how the illness develops, which researchers hope could even help prevent it altogether.

It found that the prostate as a whole appears different in men with the condition - and not just the cancerous cells as previously believed.

Prof Daniel Brewer, the study's lead researcher, said: "Often, when men are diagnosed with prostate cancer, groups of cancer cells can be found in more than one location within the prostate.

"We wanted to know if this is because of changes in 'normal' cells throughout the prostate."

The project studied DNA coding in 121 tissue samples from 37 men, some who had prostate cancer and others who didn't.

These samples were then analysed to identify mutations and see how cells differ from different parts of the prostate - providing an insight into how the cancer grows.

Prof Brewer added: "We found that 'normal' prostate cells in men who had prostate cancer had more mutations than 'normal' prostate cells from men without prostate cancer.

“The ‘normal’ prostate cells in men who have prostate cancer appear to provide a beneficial environment for prostate cancer cells to develop and grow.

“In other words, the whole prostate is primed and ready to develop prostate cancer driven by an, as yet unknown, biological process.

“This work has improved our knowledge of how prostate cancer first starts to develop and might one day give us clues as to how to prevent or treat it.

“And it shows that it may be better to treat the whole prostate rather than only the areas in the prostate that have cancer."

The research has been welcomed by charity Prostate Cancer UK.

Hayley Luxton, of Prostate Cancer UK, said: "These findings give us important new insights into the early development of prostate cancer, which might one day give us clues as to how to prevent it."