Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are essential for this cancer for various important reasons:

Access to Innovative Approaches: Clinical trials give people the chance to try new options not yet available to everyone. This is crucial for since existing treatments might not work for everyone.

Enhancing Option Success: Joining a clinical trial can help patients share valuable information that improves treatment methods and life expectancy for others with prostate cancer in the future.

In-depth Healthcare: Patients in clinical trials get thorough care from a team of healthcare experts and researchers who watch their health closely.

Creating Hope: Being part of a clinical trial can offer hope to those fighting prostate cancer, both for their own healing journey and for the benefit of others who will face the disease later.

Pushing Forward Research: Clinical trials are key to advancing medical science. They help researchers figure out how well new options work and who is most likely to benefit from them. This can lead to better options and personalized care plans.

Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the prostate, a small walnut-shaped gland in males that produces seminal fluid, which nourishes and transports sperm. It’s one of the most common types of cancer in men.

Often, prostate cancer grows slowly and is initially confined to the prostate gland, where it may not cause serious harm. However, some types are more aggressive and can spread quickly.

Early-stage prostate cancer may not cause symptoms. As it progresses, it can lead to signs and symptoms such as:

• Difficulty urinating, including a weak or interrupted flow or the need to urinate more often, especially at night.
• Blood in the urine or semen.
• Erectile dysfunction.
• Pain in the hips, back (spine), chest (ribs), or other areas from cancer that has spread to bones.
• Weakness or numbness in the legs or feet.
• Loss of bladder or bowel control from cancer pressing on the spinal nerves.

It’s important to note that these symptoms can also be caused by conditions other than prostate cancer, such as an enlarged prostate. Early detection through screening can be important for identifying prostate cancer at a stage when it’s more likely to be treatable.

Regular check-ups and discussions with a healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of prostate cancer screening are recommended for men, especially those over 50 or at higher risk.

This type cancer can occur in various forms, with some types being more aggressive than others. The most common types of prostate cancer are categorized based on how the cancer cells look under a microscope and where the cancer starts.

Here’s an overview of the primary types:

Adenocarcinomas
The vast majority of prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas. These cancers develop from the gland cells (the cells that make the prostate fluid that is added to the semen).

There are two subtypes of adenocarcinomas:

Acinar Adenocarcinoma: Most prostate cancers are of this subtype, starting in the gland cells that line the prostate gland.

Ductal adenocarcinoma: Starts in the ducts of the prostate gland. Ductal adenocarcinoma tends to be more aggressive and may cause symptoms more quickly than acinar adenocarcinoma.

Small Cell Carcinomas
These are rare and aggressive forms of prostate cancer that start in neuroendocrine cells (hormone-producing cells). Small cell carcinomas tend to grow quickly and are more likely to spread beyond the prostate.

Squamous Cell Carcinomas
This rare type of prostate cancer also grows quickly and is more likely to spread. It starts in the flat cells covering the prostate.

Transitional Cell Carcinomas
Also known as urothelial carcinomas, these cancers start in the cells that line the urethra (the tube through which urine exits the body). This type of cancer usually starts in the bladder and spreads to the prostate, but it can start in the prostate as well.

Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized the identification of biomarkers for various cancers, including prostate cancer. NGS can analyze large segments of the genome quickly and accurately, helping to identify genetic mutations, alterations, and other biomarkers that can influence prostate cancer behavior, prognosis, and response.

For prostate cancer, NGS can identify several types of biomarkers:

Genetic Mutations

BRCA1 and BRCA2: Mutations in these genes are known for their role in breast and ovarian cancers but are also associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. Men with these mutations may have a more aggressive form of prostate cancer.

TMPRSS2-ERG Fusion: A common gene fusion in prostate cancer that can influence the aggressiveness of the cancer.

PTEN Loss: PTEN is a tumor suppressor gene, and its loss or mutation can lead to tumor growth and progression.

Somatic Mutations

SPOP, FOXA1, and MYC: Mutations in these genes are associated with prostate cancer development and progression.

DNA Repair Gene Mutations

ATM, CHEK2, and PALB2: Mutations in these genes are involved in DNA repair processes. Like BRCA1/2 mutations, they can suggest sensitivity to certain options like PARP inhibitors.

Cancer is an unfortunate reality that touches most of us at some point in our lives. If you or a loved one has cancer, you may have heard or read that clinical trials could offer access to innovative new options. But what exactly is a clinical trial? In this video, Massive Bio co-founder Arturo Loaiza-Bonilla, MD, explains how clinical trials work, what to expect if you enroll in one, and why a clinical trial can be an important option for many cancer patients.

We dream of the day when cancer disappears from our lives. Massive Bio is working tirelessly on achieving that goal.