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Researchers have discovered a way to quickly distinguish between deadly prostate cancer and mild cancer. Ultimately, this screening will make it possible to better manage patients and to develop more effective precision drugs in the future.
This is great news for all prostate cancer patients. According to work carried out by the Department of Medical Biosciences at the Swedish University of Umeå in collaboration with a research group at the University of Uppsala, it will soon be possible to detect, upstream, cancerous tumors in patients .
Prostate cancer: distinguishing aggressive cancers from others
In France, prostate cancer affects 55,000 men each year. This cancer develops from a normal cell, which transforms and multiplies in an anarchic way, forming a tumour. Initially of limited size, it can grow and spread beyond the prostate and to other organs. This development is most often very slow, to the point that the decision to treat also depends on the patient’s age.
Depending on the aggressiveness of the cancer, management can be based on active surveillance (in certain cases of very localized tumours) or on more aggressive treatment combining surgery (total prostatectomy), radiotherapy and possibly hormone therapy. and chemotherapy. But how to distinguish cancers that will remain “harmless” from aggressive cancers?
A “signalling” protein
Researchers from the Department of Medical Biosciences at Sweden’s Umeå University together with a research group at Uppsala University have made an important discovery that may answer this question.
“We discovered a new, previously unknown function of the TGF-β type I receptor (TbRI), which is an important signaling protein in cancer cells. Previous studies have shown that TGF-β signaling is important in the development of several forms of cancers“, revealed Maréne Landström, professor of pathology at Umeå University and lead author of the study.
Important implications for prostate cancers… but not only
This protein affects the growth and spread of cancer cells. This may have huge implications for cancer treatment as the discovery makes it easier, faster and earlier in the course of the disease to identify men who are at risk of developing aggressive and life-threatening prostate cancer.
“With this new discovery, we can reassure men with prostate cancer who have a promising prognosis…and those with high-risk prostate cancer can be offered treatment sooner. Our findings and the publication are important for a large group of patients with this cancer, and there is reason to believe that other groups of patients will benefit.“, she added.
According to the researchers, this discovery could also help promote the development of precision drugs for the treatment of prostate cancer.
Convinced of the importance of their discovery, the researchers filed a patent application through the pharmaceutical development company, MetaCurUm Biotech AB. “We estimate that it will take us two to three years to develop a test based on our findings.“, says Maréne Landström. This discovery could also concern other types of cancer.
Consult an oncologist online
Prostate cancer: early symptoms
At first, prostate cancer grows silently. Symptoms due to compression of the urethra appear gradually, when the prostate increases in volume:
- Frequent need to urinate, especially at night (pollakiuria);
- Weak urine stream;
- Sensation of not having completely emptied the bladder;
- Urinary leaks;
- Urinary infections (cystitis, prostatitis or pyelonephritis, etc.);
- Difficulty urinating (or urinary retention);
- Presence of blood in urine or semen;
- Difficulty getting an erection;
- Pain during ejaculation.
Be careful though: this increase in volume is not specific to prostate cancer. It can be caused by different diseases such as prostatitis or prostate adenoma.