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Prostate Cancer Genes Identified

By Henry J. Fishman, M.D.
ConsumerAffairs.com

February 2, 2006

• Feds Approve Drug for Enlarged Prostate • New Prostate Cancer Treatment Shows Promise • Broccoli Reduces Prostate Cancer Risk, Study Finds • Celebrex-Lipitor Combo May Halt Prostate Cancer • Exercise May Speed Prostate Tumor Growth • Soy Compound May Halt Spread of Prostate Cancer • Obesity Linked to Higher Prostate Cancer Mortality • Red Wine May Fight Prostate Cancer • Enlarged Prostate Doesn't Mean Cancer • Hopkins Researchers Claim Better Blood Test for Prostate Cancer • Severe Form of Enlarged Prostate Disease Discovered • Tomato-Broccoli Combo Can Help Shrink Prostate Cancers • Weight Gain Increases Risk of Dying from Prostate Cancer • Smoking Linked to Complications in Prostate Cancer Treatment • Newer Approach Urged in Screening for Aggressive Prostate Cancer • Aspirin May Prevent or Delay Enlarged Prostate • Hopkins Researchers Find Better Blood Test for Prostate Cancer • Prostate Radiation May Cause Problems Later • New Test Detects Prostate Cancer Spread Earlier • Castration May Be Advised in Advanced Prostate Cancer • Radiation Therapy May Be Best for Younger Prostate Cancer Patients • Study Recommends More Prostate Biopsies • Delayed Surgery May Be OK for Some Prostate Cancer Patients • Study: PSA Test Doesn't Improve Prostate Cancer Survival Rate • Prostate Cancer Genes Identified • Annual Prostate Cancer Screening Test Appears to Save Lives • FDA Panel Rejects Prostate Cancer Pill • PSA Test Still Useful, Hopkins Study Finds • No "Normal" PSA Level: Study • New Prostate Cancer Test Shows Promise • Lifestyle and Diet May Stop or Reverse Prostate Cancer Progression

Researchers have, for the first time, uncovered some genes which predispose to prostate cancer, according to an article in the journal Nature.

Researchers examined the biological activity of nearly 10,000 genes all at once -- a huge job. They compared the activity levels of healthy and cancerous tissue.

They found that large numbers of genes -- nearly 200 -- work together to predispose to prostate cancer, not just one or two.

Researchers have found the same pattern in other illnesses, like asthma, in which 12 genes work together to cause problems.

Unfortunately, more genes means more work in solving problems like cancer. Fixing a few genes is easy; fixing a few hundred is hard.

Still, thanks to this researcher we hope that, someday, doctors will be able to develop a blood test for prostate cancer that's better than the current one and possibly therapies to fix the genes and get ride of prostate cancer.

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