It is fairly common practice for those diagnosed with breast cancer to have genetic testing. Genetic testing is almost unheard of when men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. Current research shows that genetic testing for men with prostate cancer could provide important information about both potential treatment efficacy and prognosis.
A recent look at the role of a germ-line BRCA2 mutation in the development of prostate cancer moved forward our understanding of the clinical presentation and how it links to possible outcomes.
A total of 148 men from 1,423 families were ascertained from the kConFab consortium. Each participant met the following criteria: (i) a verified case of prostate cancer; (ii) confirmed as either a carrier or non-carrier of a family-specific BRCA pathogenic mutation; (iii) comprehensive clinical and treatment data were available. Clinical data were linked to treatment received and overall survival was analyzed by Kaplan–Meier.
We do know that prostate cancer in men whose families are breast cancer-prone have a high risk of disease progression, irrespective of their mutation status. However, we now know that men with a BRCA2 mutation carriers an increased risk of death and prostate cancer-related death
Serum PSA readings, even when age adjusted, taken prior to diagnosis in 90% of all men were above cli