Marker May Help Predict Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis

Advanced prostate cancer is known to sometimes spread to the bones, making treatment especially problematic. Determining which cases of cancer are likely to spread to the bones, however, has been problematic at best in the past. Researchers in Turkey believe they have found a new way to better predict the likelihood of prostate cancer’s spread.

Doctors at the Sivas Numme State Hospital in Sivas, Turkey, reviewed data related to 633 men with prostate cancer. The analysis showed that men who tested positive for perineural invasion (PNI) had an increased risk for bone metastasis. In fact, the research showed an 11-fold increased risk, making them conclude that this finding could serve as a good predictor of metastasis risk.

PNI is an abnormality found in a few different types of cancer. It involves the spread of cancer to the space surrounding a nerve. In prostate cancer, the finding often does not play a role in recommended treatments. The Sivas’ researchers say it is time for that to change.  The study’s results, researchers say, show that PNI found in biopsy specimens has the potential to predict the likelihood of bone metastasis. That said, they highly recommend the PNI results be taken into careful account during treatment and clinical care.

Prostate cancer affects an estimated 220,000 American men each and every year. In many cases, the disease is caught early and can be treated and/or managed with a high degree of success. In some cases, however, advanced forms of the disease present or the disease is not caught until after it has spread. Having the ability to better understand the potential aggression level of the disease is critical for helping doctors guide more effect treatments.

Men are urged to discuss prostate cancer carefully with their personal physicians. Doctors can help men assess their risks and can offer insights on early screening protocols.