New breakthrough in gene detection technology for prostate cancer

For some men, prostate cancer is slow-growing and does not affect their normal lives, and they can live without treatment. But for others, prostate cancer is very dangerous and can be life-ending.

Because prostate cancer treatment has side effects, such as impotence and urinary incontinence, accurate detection of whether it is life-threatening and whether treatment is necessary has become a consensus.

Scientists at the Institute of Oncology in London, who were studying men from families with prostate cancer, have identified 14 mutations in cancer-causing genes that predict fatal disease. They found that men with these mutations were more likely to develop other serious illnesses.

Just as women with a family history of breast cancer can be tested for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which carry a 50% chance of developing the disease, this breakthrough means men with a family history of prostate cancer can be tested earlier.

These 14 mutations that predict prostate cancer are located in 8 genes: BRCA1, BRCA2, ATM, CHEK2, BRIP1, MUTYH, PALB2 and PMS2.

If a man has any of the 14 mutations, he is more likely to have a high-grade, invasive cancer that invades the lymph nodes or other parts of the body and eventually kills the patient.

"Our study shows great promise that genetic testing for prostate cancer could one day become as common as testing for breast cancer," said co-leader of the research team.

"Although this is still early stage research, we have shown that by testing for these mutations we can identify men who are certain to develop aggressive prostate cancer."

"We now have the technology to test for multiple mutations at once, and the next step is to prove that identifying dangerous mutations early can save lives. If that works, genetic testing could become part of the prostate cancer care pathway in the future."

The head of the British Prostate Cancer Research Society said: "Right now, prostate cancer diagnosis is a major problem in treatment. Current tests cannot distinguish between fatal cancers and harmless cancers. Therefore, many times, doctors and patients are caught in a dilemma about whether to treat or not." "We are eager to know who will get prostate cancer or other serious diseases. 40,000 men in the UK are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. Predicting through genetic testing may give these patients a treatment that will bring revolutionary changes."