Exciting new discovery will help battle prostate cancer

New research has revealed a genetic marker that has been linked to the development of prostate cancer. This marker will now assist doctors to improve screening and treatment of the disease.

A genetic marker is a detectable genetic trait or segment of DNA that can be identified and tracked. It can serve as a flag for another gene, sometimes called the target gene.

Men who carry this marker have a 60% higher chance of developing prostate cancer, although, it is not clear whether the heightened risk comes from the variant itself or from another that lies nearby on chromosome 8.

The gene marker is carried by 19% of European men and about 41% of African American men who develop the disease.

The researchers believe those who carry the marker are also more likely to suffer from the more aggressive forms of prostate cancer.

A diagnostic test for the marker may enable doctors to decide how closely patients should be monitored, and how aggressively they should be treated.

Remember: Prostate cancer affects one in 11 Australian men and is most common over the age of 65. If you have a father or brother who had prostate cancer the risk is higher, especially if they were diagnosed at an early age.

Source:

http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/ng1808.html

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Prostate_cancer