These biopsies do not necessarily mean that the disease is cured, but that its progression is slowed down or that the cancer is of small volume.
- Negative biopsies in the follow-up of prostate cancer do not necessarily mean a cure
- But they are the sign of a well-controlled evolution of the disease
Cancer sometimes sends mixed signals: biopsies of men followed for prostate cancer can be negative. They do not mean that the cancer has disappeared but rather that it has “hidden”. American researchers explain it in The Journal of Urology. “For men under active surveillance, negative biopsies indicate the disease is mild and the rate of progression is low.”, says Carissa E. Chu, one of the authors of this study. According to her, these cancers “hidden“generally take good care of themselves.
What is a biopsy?
A biopsy is the removal of part of a tissue for later analysis. When a man is followed for prostate cancer, these examinations are part of the techniques regularly used to observe the progression of the disease. Sometimes they are negative, and until now researchers did not know how to interpret these “hidden cancers“.
More than 500 men monitored
In this research, the scientific team recruited 514 men, followed regularly for early-stage prostate cancer, between 2000 and 2019. Each of the patients underwent at least three biopsies after the diagnosis of their cancer. A total of 37% of them had negative biopsy results. In general, their clinical characteristics were better: their prostate-specific antigen level was lower. This rate is that of a protein made by this organ, when it is high, it means that there is an anomaly.
Several negative biopsies
Some men have had negative biopsies multiple times in a row. In this group, 84% of them did not need surgery or radiation treatment to recover. This rate was 74% in men who had a single negative biopsy, compared to 66% for patients who had positive results on each of these examinations. Regardless of the outcome, the study authors encourage men with prostate cancer to follow through on their care journey. “Getting negative biopsy results does not mean the cancer is gone, some men with multiple negative results later had a positive result or were diagnosed with more advanced cancer.”say the researchers.
A common cancer in France
Prostate cancer is the most common in France: each year, 54,000 new cases are diagnosed. The main symptoms are urinary disorders: frequent urination, urination disorders, blood in semen or urine, etc. If detected early, it may only require active surveillance, as some cancers do not progress. In most cases, curing prostate cancer requires treatment with surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy or chemotherapy.