Cancer Research UK has unveiled plans for a Europe-wide study of men with a high genetic risk of pro...
Cancer Research UK has unveiled plans for a Europe-wide study of men with a high genetic risk of prostate cancer due to genetic alterations.
A total of 40% of early onset, aggressive prostate cancers are linked to inherited factors. Men who inherit a mutant BRCA2 gene ' which can cause breast and ovarian cancer in women ' have at least a five-fold risk of developing prostate cancer.
The Institute of Cancer Research, funded by Cancer Research UK, will undertake a five-year study involving 500 men across Europe who have the faulty gene. The trial will compare known genetic variations in prostate cancer patients and healthy volunteers to find out which ones are linked to a higher than average risk of developing the disease.
Dr Ros Eeles, a clinical senior lecturer in cancer genetics and clinical oncology at the Institute of Cancer Research, said: 'When screening for prostate cancer, it is crucial to identify those men with a high risk of an aggressive form of the disease. As scientists' understanding of cancer genetics improves, pressure on screening programmes will increase dramatically and it will not be possible to screen every man. We need a more targeted approach.'
Eeles called for everyone with a higher genetic risk of developing cancer to be tracked, but warned a shift in resources for health services will be required to fulfil the potential of the new screening procedures.
She added: 'In the longer term, genetic testing will need to become a routine part of oncology practice. We need to focus on bringing geneticists and oncologists together through national networks.'
