A new study will determine whether existing genetic tests and family history profiling can be used to find men at higher risk of prostate cancer, so they can be targeted for screening.
The PROFILE study follows years of research into prostate cancer risk factors, including the discovery of 31 genetic variants that predispose to the disease, and the recognition that family history substantially increases men’s chances of developing the disease.
The research team, led by Professor Ros Eeles from The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, will compare rates of prostate cancer diagnosis between men considered to be at high and low genetic risk. Professor Eeles is working in collaboration with Professor David Neal at Cancer Research UK’s Cambridge Research Institute and Professor Freddie Hamdy at the University of Oxford.
“This study will show us whether we have enough knowledge about prostate cancer genetics to find men at higher risk of the disease, and whether we should therefore start screening these men. Screening men at higher risk could potentially lead to earlier diagnoses, which would improve their chances of cure,” Professor Eeles says.
The researchers will take a blood sample from men with a known family history of prostate cancer to test their DNA and determine whether they have any of these predisposition genes. Some of the genetic variants are common in the population but only give a small additional risk individually but when combined can lead to higher risks.
These men are offered a biopsy to confirm whether cancer is present. They also have a blood test to examine their levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), the standard test to screen for prostate cancer. The results are then correlated with the genetic results to see if genetic profiling can refine the current screening test of PSA and / or biopsy.
PSA testing is the only currently available tool to screen men with prostate cancer, but it carries a significant risk of over-diagnosis and over-treatment for men who would not otherwise need it. However, these risks may be less significant in men at higher risk of the disease, so scientists are looking for a way to identify this group.
The PROFILE study will eventually be conducted in three centres – London, Oxford and Cambridge - but is now only open in London. Men aged between 40 and 69 with a family history of prostate cancer are invited to participate.
This study is funded by grants from The Ronald and Rita McAulay Foundation, Cancer Research UK and support from the ICR, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and the National Institute for Health Research for the Biomedical Research Centre at the ICR and The Royal Marsden.
Prostate cancer affects more than 36,000 men in the UK each year. It is the most common cancer in men and the second leading cause of cancer death in men after lung cancer. One Briton dies every hour from the disease
Family history is one of the strongest risk factors for prostate cancer. If a man has one relative with prostate cancer he is two to three times more likely to develop the disease compared to someone without a family history. The risk is even higher if the man has more than one family member affected or if the disease is diagnosed in the relative before the age of 60. These factors combine so that if more than one relative is affected by early-onset prostate cancer, the risk is increased by seven-fold
Approximately 5-10% of all prostate cancer and 30-40% of early onset cases (<55years) are caused by inherited susceptibility genes
For more information on the PROFILE study, visit: The Everyman website.
