| Family history is an important factor in risk of | | | | are better able to offer monitoring and |
| prostate cancer. If a first degree relative is | | | | assessment and if necessary, enable the patient |
| diagnosed with prostate cancer before the age of | | | | to make the most informed decision about |
| 60, your own risk increases by about four times | | | | treatment. |
| the average risk. A first degree relative is a | | | | Understanding of the genetic component of |
| father or son. | | | | prostate cancer is developing through a large, long |
| If for example an uncle, who is a second degree | | | | term study of the genetic changes associated |
| relative, is diagnosed with prostate cancer before | | | | with prostate cancer risk. |
| the age of 60, your own risk is two times the | | | | The UK Genetic Prostate Cancer Study |
| average risk. | | | | (UKGPCS), first established in 1993, involves nearly |
| The age of your relative when they develop | | | | 130 hospitals, 450 Consultants and 200 research |
| prostate cancer is very significant. By the age of | | | | nurses. It is based at The Institute of Cancer |
| 80, around half of all men have some cancer cells | | | | Research in Sutton, Surrey in collaboration with |
| in their prostate, but they are usually | | | | the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. |
| slow-growing and unlikely to cause death. | | | | In February 2009, researchers from the project |
| When prostate cancer develops at a younger age | | | | announced they had identified 12 different genes |
| - in forties and fifties - this can be a more | | | | which increase the risk of prostate cancer for the |
| aggressive form of the disease which is more | | | | carrier. |
| likely to spread to other parts of the body. | | | | This work has the potential to translate into a |
| Therefore, if your father is diagnosed with | | | | genetic test to show the risk each individual faces |
| prostate cancer at the age of 75, it will reflect | | | | as a result of his genetic variants. |
| less of a family risk than if your brother is | | | | However genetic testing is a highly complex |
| diagnosed at the age of 53. | | | | process and it is likely to be several years before |
| However patients often say that when they | | | | an accurate and effective test is available. |
| asked their GP for a PSA test because of | | | | Nevertheless, in the meantime, there are steps |
| concerns about family history, they were treated | | | | which can be taken to manage the risk in families |
| as the 'worried well.' | | | | with a history of prostate cancer and support |
| Men have reported having to battle to have a | | | | individuals. |
| PSA test and being warned against it. | | | | As the most common form of cancer among |
| Clearly, patients do need to be counselled about | | | | men in the UK, the risk of contracting prostate |
| the consequences of a PSA test. The identification | | | | cancer is a very real one. With pioneering |
| of slow-growing prostate cancer raises difficult | | | | treatments and continuing developments in the |
| questions about whether and how the prostate | | | | methods with which the condition is detected, |
| should be treated. | | | | survival rates are increasing year on year. |
| However, these choices should rest with the | | | | If you have reason to believe that you may have |
| patient and family history needs to be treated as | | | | prostate cancer, perhaps due to the diagnosis of |
| an important resource in our understanding of | | | | a family member, make sure you get yourself |
| prostate cancer risk. | | | | checked out. Early diagnosis can be absolutely |
| Once family history is treated as a resource | | | | critical, so the sooner you get tested, the better |
| rather than a bothersome cause of anxiety, we | | | | your long-term chances may be. |