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Men without prostate cancer who have one or more specific genetic changes associated with the risk of prostate cancer may be eligible to participate in a new clinical study at the NIH Clinical Center.
Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common malignancy in American men. There is increasing evidence that there may be a link between PC and men who have a family history of ovarian or breast cancer. The following genetic changes (variants) may increase a man’s risk of developing PC: BRCA1, BRCA2, MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, EPCAM, HOXB13, ATM, NBN, TP53, CHEK2, PALB2, RAD51D or FANCA.
A genetic variant is a change in the basic units of DNA. A variant can be harmless or may lead to disease and may be passed down through families. As researchers have learned more about the role of genetics in PC, they have taken a new approach to screening for the disease—targeting men whose genetic profiles put them at risk for developing PC. William L. Dahut, M.D., Senior Investigator in the Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, is leading a study of men age 30 to 70 who do not have PC but who have documented proof of specific genetic changes associated with the risk for PC. The study will use medical examinations, blood tests and MRI scans to periodically monitor the participants’ prostate health, or the development and growth of PC, for the rest of their lives. The goal is to study the connection between known genetic variants and the likelihood of developing PC and to see if this information can be used to help prevent or treat PC.
Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT03805919
NCI Protocol ID: NCI-19-C-0040
Official Title: Natural History Study of Men at High Genetic Risk for Prostate Cancer
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