Genetic Biomarkers Offer New Hope In Identifying Prostate Cancer

Although physicians still struggle with the best ways to treat patients suspected of having prostate cancer, a new group of genetic-based tests could provide new tools that will help improve diagnostic accuracy. These new biomarkers offer hope in reducing the number of patients who receive unnecessary treatment for cancers that are not actually present in their bodies and for those cancers not aggressive enough to cause harm.

While over-treating still remains a major problem in addressing prostate cancer, science continues to improve the task of identifying which patients actually need treatment as well as clarifying what treatments are most appropriate. The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening test still remains a stable tool physicians use to help detect prostate cancer, but an array of new biomarkers designed for various stages of prostate cancer have made their way into the market, which has proven to be fertile ground for young companies. (SeeAlso see "Prostate Cancer: Dissatisfaction With Current Diagnostics Drives Interest In Innovation" - Medtech Insight, 21 April, 2015..) As with most new products in health care, the key to successful adoption is not only a positive effect on patient outcomes, but also a proven ability to reduce costs, and without those elements payer reimbursement can be difficult to obtain.

Biomarkers were one of the heavily lauded topics at the 110th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA) held in New Orleans in May, and the conversations were fueled with data from a new study presented at the meeting that showed the number of PSA tests given by primary care physicians has decreased significantly in the last few years. The study was conducted at primary care clinics operated by Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), and was spurred by the 2012 decision from the

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