Private MD News

Genetic markers could bolster PSA testing reliability

Category: Prostate

PSA testing is one of the most effective methods for detecting prostate cancer. However, the test has had limited success in diagnosing some younger men with particularly aggressive forms of the disease.

Researchers from the University of Michigan have found that taking into consideration family history and genetics may help doctors better interpret traditional PSA tests.

The team of investigators found that men who developed cancer at a young age (56 and younger) were more likely to have a particular genetic mutation. Additionally, 41 percent of these men had a first-degree relative with prostate cancer.

The study's lead author, Kathleen Cooney, said that these considerations, combined with traditional PSA testing, could help doctors diagnose the cancer at an earlier stage when it is more curable.

"This is a potential opportunity to combine PSA testing with genetic markers to determine who has significant prostate cancer," she said. "It could be a combination of age and family history that could help us determine who should be tested with PSA and a panel of genetic markers."