Base on a recently published news release, a prospective study performed and funded by the commercial company GenomeDx Biosciences showed that their new Decipher Cancer Classifier test reclassifies the tumor aggressiveness in men who have had surgery as their primary prostate cancer treatment.

According to the company, this newly validated test will improve clinical decision-making following a radical prostatectomy. In this validation study, their Decipher Post-Op test was able to reclassified the tumor aggressiveness in a large number of men based on the genomic risk assessment as compared to our current clinical and pathological risk assessment tools.

The company claims that the reclassification of tumor aggressivness can make postoperative therapy decisions for men following prostatectomy more informed by predicting if an individual is at low, intermediate or high risk of developing tumor metastasis. The study evaluated 2,342 prospective men. It was published this month ahead of print in Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases.

We know that there is a debate about the the delivery and timing of postoperative radiation therapy to treat recurrent prostate cancer. Part of this controversy stems from the ambiguity produced by traditional diagnostic tools.

There is no question that if we can more accurately determine the right patient and the right time to deliver postoperative radiation therapy we could reduce the number of men who are ultimately treated unnecessarily and provide, in a more timely manner, needed therapy.  More information about a man’s risk of developing advanced prostate cancer will allow better personal decision making, cost savings and less men being unnecessarily treated.

“This study demonstrated, in a robust cohort of men, that the use of Decipher can provide both the patient and physician with a more accurate classification of low, intermediate and high risk of tumor aggressiveness, compared to clinical measures alone,” said Doug Dolginow, M.D., chief executive officer of GenomeDx. “We believe this will lead to more informed postoperative treatment recommendations and allow for better personalization of therapy.”

Having the tissue from your prostectomy run through the Decipher Cancer Classifier test might be of value to you. Speak with your doctor to see if you might benefit from this new genetic test.