Prostate Cancer Research

Prostate cancer is getting much more attention in recent years, there is more money being spent on research, and more information is available. Advancements and breakthroughs continue to occur in many areas of prostate cancer research. Many professionals are looking for new information to make detection easier, simplify diagnosis, and to find new and safer treatments. Physicians, scientists, medical researchers and even nutrition experts are leading the way to develop a better understanding of the disease, its signs, its treatments and the possibilities of a cure.

One of the most popular forms of diagnosis of prostate cancer is the measurement of PSA, or prostate-specific antigen. PSA is a protein produced by cells in the prostate gland, and although it is normal for all men to have a low level of PSA in their bodies, a higher level may indicate prostate cancer. However, many prostate cancers are very small and slow growing, and do not require treatment. Studies have shown that a PSA test may give a positive result for a tumor that does not require treatment. In fact, almost a third of older men diagnosed with prostate cancer may receive unnecessary surgery or other treatments even though the disease in not life-threatening. Scientists are now researching new variations of the PSA test to improve its efficiency. These improvements may lead to a significant drop in the number of unnecessary operations and treatments, smaller incurred medical costs, fewer complications from surgery and treatment, and help in the correct diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Recent advances in medical imaging have made diagnosis of prostate cancer easier. They have also made it easier to detect when cancer has spread outside of the prostate. A new technique that is being studied is the Enhanced MRI. If cancer has spread to the patient’s lymph nodes, located above the prostate, the Enhanced M.R.I. causes the cancer to light up’ and be easily detected. This technique may offer detection abilities that the standard M.R.I. scan does not offer, and is now being studied for new applications by doctors.

There have been significant developments in the way that radiation is administered to prostate cancer patients. Some of these advancements include using sophisticated computer programs to plan the treatments and record their effectiveness. There have also been better programs developed which allow the radiation therapist to more accurately pinpoint the exact location of the cancer in order to minimize the damage to surrounding tissue. More research is needed to make radiation therapy even more precise.

One of the most exciting areas of prostate cancer research involves vaccines. It is theoretically possible for a vaccine to be developed which, when injected into the body in a very low dose, can stimulate the body’s natural immune system into producing anti-bodies to fight the cancer. These anti-bodies would recognize prostate cancer cells and attack and destroy them. Clinical studies of these vaccines indicate that there are minimal side effects. These vaccines are not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration, but some are available to men participating in clinical trials. At the moment, the clinical trials are focused on men who have had the prostate cancer tumor removed surgically, and the vaccine is being used to fight any remaining cancer in the body. Research in new vaccines is ongoing.

New drugs are being studied which help to slow or stop the spread of cancer cells. Some drugs stop cancer cells from dividing and spreading, some slow their growth and movement, and some drugs inhibit cancer cell’s ability to make their own blood vessels, thereby effectively starving the cancer cells. The research being done with these drugs may someday be applicable to all cancers, including prostate cancer.

Research in all these areas of prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment is helping men improve their overall health and live longer lives.

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