Genes May Help Guide Prostate Treatments

Researchers are beginning to look at how to use genes to find the best treatments for men with advanced prostate cancer. Each tumor has a certain pattern of gene and protein activity. This means that a tumor may respond better to one treatment than another. Men with advanced prostate cancer often get drugs to block the male hormone testosterone. But some tumors grow anyway. One new study will look at the genes and proteins in tumors of 60 men. Based on this, researchers will decide which ones are most likely to respond to a hormone blocker. These men will be given a standard drug. Other men will get a different drug that attacks the cancer in another way. A few studies are looking at other treatments. The Associated Press wrote about the new research March 24.