Aggressiveness Test Can Help Determine Metastasis Risks

1. For years, women diagnosed with breast cancer have been able to undergo genetic testing to more readily gauge their risks for recurrence or spread of the disease. Thanks to the discovery of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, the odds of poor outcomes have been something clinicians could gauge to better guide treatment with an eye on saving lives. The same, however, has not been the case for men diagnosed with prostate cancer. A relatively new test, however, is changing that. The procedure is known as Prolaris. This screening test is used on biopsy tissue to gauge the likely aggressiveness of the disease. A recent study into its benefits found the test was highly beneficial in predicting the aggressiveness in men who had been diagnosed with localized prostate cancer that had been conservatively managed. The test is also beneficial for helping post-prostatectomy patients gauge

2. their risks for biochemical recurrence. Also of significance is its ability to determine metastasis risk in African American males. Although prostate cancer is a risk for all men as they age, African American men are much more likely than others to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Prolaris has been available for a while. The test’s results have been so strong, Medicaid recently expanded coverage for it. Not quite the same as genetic testing for breast cancer, Prolaris is designed to measure how fast the cells in a tumor divide. This serves as a key indicator for aggressiveness. The resulting Prolaris Score can also help doctors and patients make more personalized treatment decisions. Men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer have a new tool available to help them better understand the risk their tumors pose. Prolaris has been deemed highly successful in gauging the aggressiveness of prostate cancer cells. Men who are concerned about prostate cancer are urged to speak with their healthcare providers. Those at especially high risk may want to consider undergoing screening for this disease as part of their normal healthcare routines.