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Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Polish men, next to lung cancer. The risk of developing the disease increases with age, but is also affected by heredity. Genetic testing for prostate cancer is a way to tell if you are at higher risk. Prostate cancer, or prostate cancer, is malignant and should not be taken lightly.
Prostate cancer – a malignant tumor
Prostate cancer, also known as prostate cancer, is one of the most common malignancies in men. Only lung cancer is more widespread, leading the way also among the cancers most often affecting women.
Malignant neoplasms pose a serious threat to life. The mortality rate in prostate cancer is high – the disease is in the top five causes of cancer death. Most cases of prostate cancer occur in men over 50, and many cases of the disease are detected too late. This is due to the lack of prophylaxis, as well as reluctance to visit a doctor, even after the early symptoms appear.
Also check: Which hormone increases the risk of cancer among men?
The problem is also the fact that in the early stages prostate cancer may be asymptomatic. Possible symptoms include frequent urination, including getting up at night for this purpose, urgency to urinate, and the feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder. The appearance of blood in the urine always requires a medical consultation. These symptoms may also be a symptom of benign prostatic hyperplasia, but do not ignore them, but see a doctor.
Genetically burdened men constitute a special risk group. This is about family history of cancer and the likelihood of inheriting defective genes. A way to find out if you are at risk of prostate cancer is to do genetic testing.
Prostate cancer – when to do genetic tests?
Not all reasons for the development of prostate cancer are known, but undoubtedly its appearance is much more likely in older men. The prerequisites for genetic testing are primarily family history of cancer. If a loved one has had cancer, on the basis of these tests it is possible to predict the likelihood of developing a malignant neoplasm of the prostate gland.
The indications for genetic testing for prostate cancer are:
- family history of prostate cancer;
- a family history of ovarian, breast, pancreatic, or colon cancer;
- mutations in the BRCA1, CHEK2 or NBS1 genes detected in relatives.
The genetic burden contributes to the several-fold increase in the incidence of prostate cancer and its development in young men. Carrying a genetic mutation does not always mean that disease is inevitable. However, the awareness of the risk should motivate to perform regular examinations, which will enable early detection of possible abnormalities and their treatment.
- Also read: Genetic testing – what cancers can be predicted?
Genetic mutations in prostate cancer
Mutations in several specific genes significantly increase the risk of developing malignant prostate cancer in men. Some of these undesirable changes are also detected in susceptibility to other cancers. Genetic tests that help diagnose and prevent prostate cancer include:
- CHEK2 – mutations of this gene may promote cancer of the prostate, but also of the colon and thyroid gland.
- NBS1 – abnormalities in this gene are sometimes associated with Nijmegen syndrome, prostate and breast cancer.
- BRCA1 – inherited mutations of the BRCA1 gene significantly contribute to the development of cancers of the prostate, skin, larynx and colon.
- HOXB13 – in this case, the mutation can mean a tenfold or even twentyfold increase in the probability of developing prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer genetic testing prices amount to an average of PLN 250–1500. The costs depend on how many genes we want to test and for how many mutations.
How is the genetic test performed?
A genetic test is a test performed on the basis of a blood sample, saliva or a smear on the inside of the cheek. A referral for this type of examination may be issued by a doctor, but we will also do it privately, for the purpose of pro-health prophylaxis carried out on our own. It should be remembered that also individual research is related to medical interviewon the basis of which the results of genetic tests can be analyzed. It takes up to several weeks to get the results from collecting the material.
If a mutation is detected, it is not a disease. Your doctor may order further tests in these circumstances, including testing your PSA levels.
- Read more about cancer markers for men.
How is prostate cancer treated?
When prostate cancer is detected, it is necessary to accurately determine the stage of development and the degree of malignancy of the tumor. The patient’s age and prognosis are also important. On this basis, the appropriate therapy is selected. In some cases, if the disease has not progressed significantly, observation is limited – at least until the results worsen. Main prostate cancer treatment methods have:
- surgery – prostate excision;
- radiotherapy;
- systemic treatment – hormonal or chemotherapy.
Genetic tests for prostate cancer are therefore a prophylactic action that increases the chance of quick detection of the disease and effective treatment.