What is the best treatment for recurrent prostate cancer?
Understanding the best treatment for recurrent prostate cancer can provide hope and lead to action.
Up to 30% of prostate cancer patients will experience prostate cancer coming back, or recurring, in their lifetime. The good news is that there is still much to be learned about prostate cancer and your treatment options.
Targeted precision imaging (TPI) is one of the most exciting advancements in prostate cancer. TPI can pinpoint prostate cancer earlier than conventional imaging such as bone scintigraphy and CT scans. TPI provides greater accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity in men at high risk for prostate cancer recurrence before curative-intent surgery or radiotherapy are pursued.
New research (pending publication) from the RADAR (Radiographic Assessments for Detection of Advanced Recurrence) VI Group shows that patients with prostate cancer have the potential to benefit from judicious use of targeted precision imaging. A soon-to-be published paper by the RADAR VI Group further outlines recommendations for using TPI results to inform the best treatment for recurrent prostate cancer. Look for both publications on our website here soon.
PCM Tests for Recurrent Prostate Cancer
If you have not already undergone genetic testing and have a family history of prostate cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer or colorectal cancer, you and your healthcare provider may want to consider one of these genetic tests.
Myriad MyRisk
The Myriad MyRisk Hereditary Cancer test can be effective in identifying a man's elevated risk for eight hereditary cancers, including prostate cancer.
ProstateNext
The ProstateNext genetic test analyzes 14 genes, including the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, to determine a man’s risk of developing hereditary prostate cancer.
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Recurrence FAQs
As you are navigating how to move forward now that your prostate cancer has recurred, you may have questions about PCMs, genetic testing, and more. Below is an initial list of frequently asked questions.
Prostate cancer biomarkers (PCMs) are molecules found in blood, tissue, or body fluids. PCMs are revolutionary new, non-invasive diagnostic tests that may help your healthcare provider decide if your prostate cancer is in fact low risk, if something more aggressive may be lurking in your prostate, or if there are hot spots in the prostate that may need to be re-evaluated upon biopsy. PCMs also can help you and your healthcare provider determine the most appropriate treatment for your cancer.
There are many factors that will make one prostate cancer marker test better suited for individual cases. Many times, individuals who have never had a biopsy or had low to intermediate grade prostate cancer (Gleason 3+3=6 or 3+4=7) diagnosed on a biopsy are well suited for blood or urine prostate cancer markers, whereas individuals who have persistently negative biopsies or a biopsy of intermediate to high grade cancer may benefit from tissue prostate cancer markers. Use this interactive questionnaire to see what tests may be right for you. Once you’ve completed the questionnaire, discuss the results with your healthcare provider. Also be sure to check out our Patient Journey section that may help you decide which test is right for you.
PSA is and easy and effective way to monitor for progression of the disease. At this time, there are no specific prostate cancer biomarkers for recurrent prostate cancer. However, Molecular Targeted Imanging (MTI) is an exciting new advancement in prostate cancer imaging. Unlike conventional imaging like CT scans and bone scintigraphy, MTI can provide greater sensitivity, accuracy, and specificity to identifying recurrent prostate cancer. MTI can be an important step in pinpointing the specific location of prostate cancer prior to undergoing curative-intent surgery or radiotherapy.
If you have not undergone genetic testing, that could also be helpful at this stage of your prostate cancer journey, particularly if you have a family history of prostate cancer, breast cancer, ovarian or colorectal cancer. The following genetic tests are recommended for men who are determined through genetic counseling to be at potential risk for hereditary cancer: