Better Personalized Prostate Cancer Treatment In The Offing With New Testing Method

A new diagnostic method being studied to find detect and predict the aggressiveness and relapse of cancer originating from the prostate gland is showing promising result. This test and study is being carried out presently in the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine.

A new formula is developed by the researchers so as to enable medical professionals to predict cancer that will relapse after treatment and also how aggressive it is for the body.

This new study is being supported by Dr David Samadi, one of the best known Urologist and Senior personal at the Popular Mount Sinai Medical Center. Here are more details about this new test for prostate cancer:

World-renowned prostate surgeon, Dr. David Samadi, may soon have the equation he needs to strengthen his approach to personalized medicine and prostate cancer treatment. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine developed a new prostate cancer diagnostic formula to accurately predict the lifecycle of a man’s prostate cancer.

Beyond confirming the presence of prostate cancer, this new test gives unprecedented insight into the cancer’s aggressiveness and the likelihood of relapse after treatment. By conducting genetic analysis of copy number variations (CNV) in the tumor cells, the cells of the surrounding benign tissue, and the blood cells, experts were able to predict the prostate cancer’s path with as much as 81 percent accuracy.

“This may be the magic mix we need to fully understand prostate cancer once it’s diagnosed,” expressed Dr. Samadi. “Being able to unlock the aggressiveness of each unique diagnosis and then tailor surgery and other treatments accordingly will elevate how we eradicate prostate cancer exponentially.”

The prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test and follow-up biopsy receive ongoing scrutiny for their diagnostic limitations. Despite even the government poking holes in these tests, Dr. Samadi remains a steadfast proponent of their effectiveness. “The PSA test and the biopsy are the best prostate cancer indicators we have today,” said Dr. Samadi. “As an expert, my job is to educate men about their disease and offer the most personalized and effective care possible.”

As Vice Chairman, Department of Urology, and Chief of Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery at The Mount Sinai Medical Center, Dr. Samadi’s robotic prostate removal surgery is one of the most effective prostate cancer treatment options available. Using his custom SMART (Samadi Modified Advanced Robotic Technique) surgery he has successfully removed over 4,000 cancerous prostates. Read the full extract here.

So, there are lots of expectations that this test will improve personalized Prostate cancer treatment for men. More support should be provided so that this test could be validated. It is important to mention that this new test could bring about less invasive, less rigorous and less painful diagnostic methods. Hence, men can now be saved from that entire trauma.

Finally, Dr.Samadi applies a less invasive approach to remove prostate gland affected by cancer. This new test can be said to be inline with he does to provide better treatments for men.

Study of DNA Blood Test For Prostate Cancer Is Promising

Many men could be spared the rigors of invasive prostate cancer test if the result of a present study in the University of Pittsburgh is validated. The study has been ongoing and  it wants to indicate investigate whether prostate cancer aggressiveness and relapse can be predicted by DNA blood test.

Genetic abnormalities are often associated with prostate cancer cells and samples from such cells and normal cells were taken for the study. So far, the result has shown that relapse and aggressive prostate cancer can be predicted to some degree. Various blood samples and tissues were used in the study as highlighted below:

A blood test for men with prostate cancer could indicate whether their cancer is likely to recur after treatment, and if so, how aggressively, say researchers from the University of Pittsburg School of Medicine, USA.

A study to investigate whether prostate cancer relapse can be predicted by looking at genetic abnormities using tissue samples from tumours as well as from neighbouring tissues and blood samples had promising results. It could mean that less invasive tests could be used after a patient’s initial treatment to see if further treatment is needed. Patients could be spared further aggressive treatments if their cancer is found to be slow-growing and therefore unlikely to cause death.

Dr Jianhua Luo and his colleagues analysed the genomes of 104 prostate tumour samples, 85 blood samples and 49 samples of benign prostate tissue adjacent to tumours to identify copy number variations (CNVs). A CNV represents an abnormal number of copies of one or more sections of DNA. Samples from all three tissue/blood groups showed CNVs, some with similar deletion and amplification patterns. Using this data, the researchers were able to build a prediction model to identify patients at risk of relapse.

The researchers found that CNVs from prostate tumour tissue could predict the chance of relapse with significant accuracy, at 73 percent. Similarly, CNVs from these tissues could predict cancer aggression with 75 percent accuracy – although as the study was conducted in patients who had already undergone the removal of all or part of the prostate, the test did not identify benign tumours from aggressive ones before treatment.

Blood samples also had high predictive accuracy – at 81 percent for relapse and 69 percent for aggression; as did neighbouring benign prostate tissue samples – at 67 percent for relapse and 77 percent for aggression.

‘For a patient already having a radical prostatectomy, CNV analysis on the tumour or blood sample may help to decide whether additional treatment is warranted to prevent relapse. Despite some limitations, including the need for high quality genome DNA, CNV analysis on the genome of blood, normal prostate, or tumour tissues holds promise to become a more efficient and accurate way to predict the behaviour of prostate cancer’, said Dr Luo.

Reporting on the study, the Daily Mail said a blood test is likely to be several years away. The results of the study will need to be validated with further research and an inexpensive blood test developed before such a test could reach the market. Source.

So, with the information highlight above, it may become possible that men who have been subjected to various forms of tests for prostate cancer would now opt for a better option. They may now go for the DNA test, which would be less invasive. In addition, if the result of this study is validated, men with prostate cancer should now expect easy diagnosis and faster treatment of their condition.

Finally, this blood test can still be less expensive, thereby helping patients to save their lives and at the same time save their money. The authorities concerned should look into this study to see if quicker validation can be made since it shows lots of promises to victims and health care providers.

ConfirmMDx(TM) is a New Test for Prostate Cancer

Many men over the years have been misdiagnosed of prostate cancer because of the limitations in the procedures carried out by the urologists. They could be subjected to different types of repeated tests that may even be unnecessary.

To address this problem, MDxHealth, a molecular diagnostic company has launched a new test known as ConfirmMDx(TM). This is a breakthrough test that can help urologists to carry out    accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer.

This new test and its launch is a result of many years of extensive research and development by the company as confirmed by the Chief Scientific Officer of MDxHealth. Here are more details on this new novel prostate cancer test:

MDxHealth SA (nyse euronext:MDXH), a leading molecular diagnostic company that develops and commercializes epigenetic tests to support cancer treatment, today announced the launch of ConfirmMDx(TM) for Prostate Cancer, a novel test that helps urologists distinguish patients who have a true-negative prostate biopsy from those who may have occult cancer. Testing will be performed in MDxHealth’s state-of-the-art Irvine-based CLIA laboratory for physicians submitting prostate tissue samples directly or via its exclusive co-marketing partner PLUS Diagnostics.

“As many as one in four men could be misdiagnosed due to limitations with current prostate biopsy procedures, commonly described as ‘sampling error’. As a consequence, the standard of care for men with persistently high-risk factors, but no evidence of prostate cancer in a biopsy, is limited to continued surveillance and repeat biopsies, often on prostate-cancer-free men. The ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer test detects epigenetic changes associated with the presence or absence of prostate cancer,” explained Prof Dr. Wim van Crienkinge, Chief Scientific Officer of MDxHealth.

“The launch of ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer represents the culmination of extensive research and development efforts and demonstrates the commitment of the MDxHealth team to deliver on its new commercial strategy,” said Dr. Jan Groen, CEO of MDxHealth. MDxHealth is uniquely positioned with its portfolio of epigenetic assays to capitalize on the realization of true personalized medicine, improving patient care, while reducing healthcare costs.”

About ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer

Over 650,000 American men receive a negative prostate biopsy result each year; however approximately 25-35% of these results are false negative. Under the current standard of care, prostate biopsy procedures collect 10-12 needle biopsy cores on average, effectively sampling less than 1% of a man’s prostate. This approach leaves men at risk of occult cancer, leading to a high rate of repeat biopsies, often on prostate-cancer-free men. There is an unmet medical need for a clinically effective diagnostic test to address this dilemma. ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer is an epigenetic assay to help distinguish patients who have a true-negative biopsy from those at risk for occult cancer. The test helps urologists rule out prostate cancer-free men from undergoing unnecessary repeat biopsies and, helps rule in high risk patients who may require repeat biopsies and potential treatment. The test is able to detect an epigenetic field effect or “halo” associated with the cancerization process at the DNA level in cells adjacent to cancer foci. This molecular “halo” around a cancer lesion can be present despite having a normal appearance under the microscope. Thus ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer aids urologists in identifying men who may forego unnecessary repeat biopsies. Click here to read the full article.

With this launch by MDxHealth, it is indeed good news for prostate cancer victims and urologists. The stress and pains of having to undergo repeated biopsies that are often painful are avoided. The company is renowned for the manufacture of advanced epigenetic tests for cancer assessement, it is hoped that this new test will really in transforming cancer diagnoses in men. In addition, we expect that men will not have above average diagnosis and care for their prostate cancer.

So, health care providers should look into this new novel test and see it can now be prescribed as a standard diagnostic tool to complement other known tools.

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