(London) — A new study indicates a genetic pattern could predict the aggressiveness of prostate cancer and save many men from unnecessary and life changing surgery . Currently, doctors have few tools to differentiate between harmless and aggressive prostate tumors. The British study was published in the “Lancet.” Researchers say that men with high levels of “cell cycle progression,” or CCP genes, were three times more likely than those with low levels to have a fatal form of prostate cancer. CCP genes encourage cells to grow. A test called Prolaris measures CCP levels. The cancer specialists say if further trials confirm the published results, doctors could be using it within a year.
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Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death among men in the U.S. Worldwide, prostate cancer killed about 260-million men in 2008.
