Genomic data and prostate cancer risk classification: an update

Three different molecular tests have been validated as providing useful data that can help a man and his doctors to come to decisions about the management and treatment of localized prostate cancer. … READ MORE …

Germline genetic testing for men with prostate cancer

In this week’s Journal of Clinical Oncology, there is a full-text article in the “Comments and Controversies” section entitled … READ MORE …

Germline mutations and risk for advanced prostate cancer

Many people are increasingly interested in whether genetic testing can help them to understand their risk for cancer. The basic answer is that “Yes, it can.” However, what is also clear is that it is only going to be helpful for a small percentage of the population. … READ MORE …

Are genomic tests for prognostic risk at diagnosis really helpful (yet)?

One of the critical and unanswered questions about the value of genomic/genetic testing in relation to the diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer is, “What are the currently available tests actually telling us compared to the clinical data?” … READ MORE …

Medicare to cover genetic/genomic testing in advanced cancers

In an important decision announced late on Friday last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it had agreed to cover costs associated with genetic/genomic testing for Medicare patients with many advanced forms of cancer. … READ MORE …

What we need to tell sons and grandsons about their risk for prostate cancer

Over the past few years, with the increased focus on the idea of “personalized” medicine, we have become increasingly informed about and focused on correlations between genetics and genomics and risk for prostate cancer. However, … READ MORE …

The Metastatic Prostate Cancer Project: listen to the program

Yesterday evening we were pleased to be able to collaborate with CureTalks to host a conversation with Dr. Eli Van Allen — the principal investigator for the Metastatic Prostate Cancer Project — to “spread the word” about this initiative. … READ MORE …

CureTalk with Dr. Eli Van Allen on the “Metastatic Prostate Cancer Project”

On Wednesday, February 21, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time (2:00 p.m. Pacific), we will be collaborating with CureTalks to present the next CureTalk on prostate cancer. It will address the recently launched “Metastatic Prostate Cancer Project”. … READ MORE …

What did you hope to learn from your genetic test … if you have ever had one?

There’s a very nice article today on the MedPage Today web site about the medical value of “at-home genetic testing” (i.e., the sorts of tests available from companies like 23&Me and some others). … READ MORE …

Your genetics can accurately predict your age-related prostate cancer risk

Data from a new study reported in the British Medical Journal discusses a “polygenic hazard score” that can potentially be used to guide screening for aggressive prostate cancer (but only in men of European ancestry at this time). … READ MORE …

Experts create guidelines for screening prostate cancer patients for inherited cancer risk genes

Knowing whether you carry inherited cancer risk genes can help you to make the best decisions for your treatment and for your family. … READ MORE …

Commercially available liquid biopsy data may be misleading

A newly published research letter in JAMA Oncology is entitled “Patient-paired sample congruence between 2 commercial liquid biopsy tests”. The two tests are both said — by the companies that market them — to have high clinical sensitivity and specificity in the identification of specific genetic markers associated with high-risk forms of prostate cancer. … READ MORE …

Germline genetics and different responses to different types of ADT

Three articles in the October 12 issue of JAMA Oncology address the fact that a very specific germline mutation to the so-called HSD3B1 gene affects response to standard forms of initial androgen deprivation therapy and related factors. … READ MORE …

How close are we really to “precision medicine” for cancer care?

A newly published paper in the journal JCO Precision Oncology confirms what many of us may have suspected — that the practical application of somatic tissue testing to clinical decision-making was low prior to 2015 . … READ MORE …

Genetics, genomics, targeted therapy, and the costs of care

A new paper in a new journal argues that all men diagnosed with advanced forms of prostate cancer should now, routinely, be undergoing tumor and germline DNA profiling … READ MORE …