Among hereditary tumors, in the case of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC), personalized medicine enables early detection, treatment, and prevention of cancer.

Hao et al demonstrate that screening with PSA and MRI with subsequent combined biopsies for prostate cancer has a high probability to be more cost-effective compared with PSA screening using standard biopsy.

In Japan, the cancer screening rate is low, and it is said that the cancer screening rate has declined further in the COVID-19 era. In many cases of prostate cancer, the rate of cancer progression is slow. However, prostate cancers with pathogenic variants (PV) in BRCA1/2 have a poor prognosis. In clinical studies to date, it is shown that approximately 8.6% (BRCA1 PV-positive cases) and 15.0% (BRCA2 PV-positive cases) of men with PV in BRCA1/2 are expected to develop prostate cancer by age 65. Therefore, in Japan, according to NCCN guidelines, PSA screening is recommended for men aged 40 years and older with a BRCA1/2 germline mutation.

Differences in prostate cancer incidence between races, but double the risk of developing prostate cancer in men with PV in BRCA1 and 5- to 7-fold in men with PV in BRCA2 compared to men without PV in BRCA1/2. Screening with PSA and MRI with subsequent combined biopsies for prostate cancer, reported by Hao et al, appears effective in detecting early-stage prostate cancer not seen by PSA screening.

No, we do not have potential conflicts of interest.

New cancer screening methods are useful for early detection of cancer. 　
JAMA Oncology Published on Nov. 17, 2022. by TakumaH

Doctors specializing in cancer medicine/doctors specializing in emerging infectious diseases
from Kyoto@Takumah