DNA test may reveal risk of prostate cancer's return

A new DNA test conducted at the Princess Margaret Cancer Center in Toronto is able to identify prostate cancer patients at high risk for a return of their cancer. Using DNA from biopsy samples taken before patients undergo surgery or radiation therapy, "the test is about 80% accurate in predicting which men have a high or low risk of their cancer returning within two years." According to study author Robert Bristow, cancer returns in 30-50% of patients due to spreading outside the prostate and thus being undetected during initial treatment. This test thus allows for additional treatment to be offered to these patients beyond the prostate area alone. For more information on this study, presented on April 5, 2014 at the European Scoeity for Radiotherapy and Oncology meeting in Vienna, click here