In 2013, Myriad Genetic failed – in a case that was heard in the United States Supreme Court - to patent the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. We all have these two genes which, when they mutate, are associated with breast, ovarian and prostate cancers. If Myriad succeeded, they would have controlled patents on these genes [...]
Making treatment decisions once you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer is difficult. Often, it is impossible to accurately and reliably be able to predict the eventual course of the cancer. Prostate cancer, besides being one of the slower growing cancers, is also one of the deadliest. So good, informed decisions are vital. The original [...]
The constant hope and conversation of late has surrounded what is referred to as a liquid biopsy. The hope and goal is to no longer need to have an invasive needle biopsy to diagnose and stage prostate cancer. Biopsies are not accurate because there are too many false negatives, they only evaluate the actual tissue [...]
There have been a number of studies that have linked male pattern baldness with a higher risk of developing prostate cancer. A possible explanation for why baldness is a risk factor for the development of prostate cancer is that hormones play a role in both baldness and in prostate cancer. We known that baldness joins [...]
African American men get more prostate cancer and more lethal forms of prostate cancer than men of other ethnicities. We assume that a combination of genetic differences, lifestyle, nutritional and medical access were the reasons for this disparity. Understanding the role of these different possible contributors is important if we are to be able to [...]