The choice and order of treatments for a Prostate cancer depend in particular on the extent of the cancer at the time of diagnosis and its potential course. However, a new test could prevent some men suffering from a benign form of prostate cancer from going under the surgeon’s knife. A new study presented at the International Conference on Cancer currently being held in Liverpool (Great Britain) shows that a test could determine very Whether a person with prostate cancer has a high-risk malignant tumor or a low-risk localized tumor.
Being able to differentiate tumor types early is a big step forward in the treatment of prostate cancer because some cancers grow very slowly and do not start. do not stop heavy treatments (such as radiation) or ablation. The use of this test would make it possible to avoid over-treatments which are not without consequences on the lives of patients (incontinence, impotence …)
This test, developed by the Myriad Genetics laboratory, passed through the hands of researchers at Queen Mary’s University in London before being presented at the International Conference on the cancer. But further validations are still needed before it is made available to oncologists.
In France, researchers from the National Institute for Health and Medical Research (Inserm) have recently looked into the extent of over-diagnosis and over-treatment for prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer screening is based primarily on testing the blood for a specific marker of prostate dysfunction called PSA. However, like many screening tests, the PSA assay more easily detects tumors that grow less quickly ”, underlined the Inserm researchers. Consequently, a part of the tumors diagnosed following this test are not very progressive and expose patients to the risk of over-treatment. That is to say, the treatment of cancers with a very low risk of progression which would not have impacted the patient’s life, whereas the treatments themselves have undesirable effects on the patient. the patients.
