Researchers Found Gene Mutation Associated With Fatal Prostate Cancer

Researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research in London and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust revealed that men suffering from prostate cancer and the inherited gene mutation have worst kinds of ailments. The gene called BRCA2 is associated with hereditary breast cancer and also the ovarian and prostate cancer.

Researchers revealed that men having BRCA2 gene are more prone to prostate cancer and it was also revealed that they are likely to have an aggressive form of tumour with poor survival rates. Men like these needed immediate treatment for survival. It was also revealed that one out of 100 men suffering from prostate cancer might have BRCA2 mutation.

For men like these, immediate radiotherapy or surgery can work, even in the cases where the disease is in its infancy.

About Prostate Cancer

• Prostate Cancer is a men-typical ailment which is very difficult to predict at the early stage.
• The disease grows at a very slow or very fast pace.
• It is difficult to detect Prostate Cancer because a lot of men can live with the disease without showing any signs of this disease.
• Over 40000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer on an yearly basis.
• For a lot of men suffering from Prostate Cancer, treatment is not required immediately. However, researchers revealed that men, who have BRCA2 gene along with prostate cancer, should be treated immediately because in their case tumour spreads at a faster pace.

Prof Ros Eeles and his colleagues at The Institute of Cancer Research in London and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust revealed that men with BRCA2 gene should be treated faster because of the greater degree of fatality.

In the research, records of these prostate cancer patients were studied. 61 men having BRCA2 gene and 18 men having BRCA1 gene mutation along with 1940 men with none of these mutations were studied. It was clear after the study that men with BRCA2-mutations had less survival chances. These men lived an average of 6.5 years after the diagnosis in comparison to 12.9 years for the non-carriers of this mutation.

It is worth noticing that people who have a family history of ovarian or breast cancer along with prostate cancer can go for BRCA1/2 testing at diagnosis. Nevertheless, this testing is not offered to all the patients diagnosed with prostate cancer in UK.