Prostate cancer breakthrough: Test identifies men likely to develop disease

Researchers have developed a new prostate cancer DNA test which can identify men who are six times more likely to develop prostate cancer.

The test identifies the one in 100 men who are six times more at risk of the disease.

The researchers, from the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London identified 63 new genetic mutations that are linked to the condition, which they combined with more than 100 known DNA variants to create the test.

They analysed the genetic codes of nearly 80,000 men with prostate cancer and more than 61,000 without the disease.

Results from the findings published in the journal Nature Genetics suggest that each DNA mutation individually has a small effect on men’s prostatecancer risk, however, the combined effect could be dramatic.

Those at the highest risk are 5.7 times more likely to develop the disease, while people in the top 10 per cent are 2.7 times more at-risk than the average man.

The scientists, are planning to assess whether investigating the DNA of men’s saliva samples, taken in GP practices, could identify at-risk men.

Such men are currently identified via a blood test that assesses their prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels, which rise when the cancer occurs. Yet, results can be skewed by vigorous exercise, urine infections and certain medications.

Professor Ros Eeles, from the ICR, said: “By looking at the DNA code of tens of thousands of men in more depth than ever before, we have uncovered vital new information about the genetic factors that can predispose someone to prostate cancer.

“And, crucially, we have shown that information from more than 150 genetic variants can now be combined to provide a readout of a man’s inherited risk of prostate cancer. If we can tell from testing DNA how likely it is that a man will develop prostate cancer, the next step is to see if we can use that information to help prevent the disease,” Professor Eeles said.

He said they hope to begin a small study in GP practices to establish whether genetic testing using a simple spit test could select high-risk men who might benefit from interventions to identify the disease earlier or even reduce their risk.